An outbreak of bubonic plague has struck the districts of Arua and Nebbi, killing three people.

The plague is reported to have hit parts of Logiri and Vurra County in Arua. Paduba Parish in Kango County, Nebbi District is reportedly affected.

In Arua, of the four cases reported, two people died while two others are admitted at Kuluva Hospital. Of the five cases reported in Nebbi District, one person died. Kuluva Hospital Primary Healthcare officer Alfred Okuonzi on Friday urged people to avoid contact with rats and infected persons.

He urged people to clear bushes around their homes. He said those admitted are in critical condition. "The problem we have is that people still have bushes around their homes but we urge them to clean their environment," he said. Nebbi District Disease Surveillance Officer Benjamin Wanichan said laboratory test confirm that the disease is bubonic plague.

Bubonic plague is endemic in parts of West Nile and DR Congo.

Plague is a disease associated with rodents which carry fleas that can be spread to humans from the bites of infected fleas. In people, bubonic plague infects the lymph glands. The outbreak has become endemic in Vurra County, Kango and Jangokoro Sub counties in Nebbi.

The common symptoms of bubonic plague are fever, headache, cold, and fatigue. Mr Wanichan said infected persons are advised to use tetracycline and doxycycline antibiotic medicines for emergency treatments.

The two districts have formed a rapid response team to monitor the situation and carry out mass sensitisation in the affected areas to prevent further spread. An advance team of medical experts from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has already visited the affected areas to offer treatment.