Kampala — The Hepatitis E virus infection that broke out in Kitgum district in October 2007, has spread to all the 19 sub-counties in the district.

A report by the ministry of health indicated that Palabek Ogili and Palabek Kal sub-counties were the latest to be infected.

The report stated that 133 infections occurred in the district during the week ending September 14, compared to 129 cases the previous week.

This brings the number of infections to 8,157 since the outbreak of the.

It said two deaths were recorded during the week, bringing the number of deaths to 124, mainly women.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Stephen Mallinga, on Monday said the increase in infections was due to the disease's long incubation period.

Mallinga also said the heavy rains in recent weeks in Kitgum had increased transmission among the returnees to villages, where safe water is limited.

"People do not have latrines and are likely to go to bushes and the faeces contaminate the water." He added that there was limited access to health care services in return sites and limited cooperation with other government ministries in controlling the disease.

"Hepatitis is largely left to the health ministry. The water ministry should have been there to sink boreholes but we are only working with organisations like UNICEF and WHO."

He said the ministry team was sensitising the community and providing clean water. He added that it was also digging pit latrines, sinking boreholes, setting up sub-county task force committees and case management.