Ebola Confirmed in Another Ugandan District

Another district in Uganda has confirmed a case of the deadly haemorrhagic Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), bring the number of affected districts to eight. The Ebola Sudan strain was confirmed in the District of Mubende in September 2022 but more districts have since confirmed cases. These are: Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Bunyangabu, Kagadi, Wakiso and the capital Kampala. 

On Wednesday, an Ebola case was confirmed in Masaka. In a notice issued to all members of staff at the Masaka Regional Referral Hospital on November 02, 2022 regarding the positive case of Ebola Sudan and CCVHF in Masaka health region, Hospital Director Dr James Elima confirmed that a woman who had been treated at the health facility has since succumbed to Ebola.

A case of the Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCVHF) has also been confirmed at the hospital but the patient hailed from the district of Sembabule, according to Dr Elima. The Masaka Regional Referral Hospital has ruled out the possibility of exposure of health workers and other patients, hailing the manner in which the EVD and CCVHF patients were handled.

“I would wish to bring to your attention the positive identification of Ebola case (Ebola sudan) and CCVHF for samples that were taken from the Regional Referral Hospital. One case travelled from Kampala and the CCVHF from Sembabule,” wrote Dr Elima.

“They were all attended to in our Accident & Emergency (A&E), and kept at the HDU under strict isolation. I commend our EMS, A&E and IPC for being vigilant and collecting samples on the same day (31/10/2022). The samples from the suspected patients turned out to be positive for Ebola sudan and CCVHIF. However, the Ebola case was transferred to Entebbe [on Tuesday] night with her primary contacts.”

He called for more surveillance and vigilance among health workers and members of the community. “I urge the Community Health Department to intensify surveillance for the contacts, the A&E and IPC Teams to be vigilant and the entire staff not to PANIC but be vigilant and practice professionalism.

“All departments MUST ensure they have NECESSARY IPC materials and keep in touch with the administration at all times. Above all BE SENSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE, protect yourselves, patients and the community.”

The Ebola disease in Uganda seems to be spreading further, especially with some people running away from isolation facilities and others exhuming dead bodies. For example, it has recently emerged that a group of villagers exhumed the body of an Ebola victim in the night to perform rituals, leading to over 20 new cases of whom three have already died. (See details Here).

Some case have also been reported in a few schools, making the Health Ministry recommend that schools should be closed early. (Read Story Here).