Uganda: Seven Family Members Test Positive for Ebola in Kampala

@MinofHealthUG / Twitter
An October 24, 2022 update on Ebola on the Ugandan minstry of health's Twitter account.
24 October 2022
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Kenneth Kazibwe

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that seven family members in Kampala have tested positive for Ebola virus.

According to Health Minister, Dr.Jane Ruth Aceng, the seven were part of the nine individuals confirmed positive for Ebola in Greater Kampala Metropolitan area.

"The nine cases are of the fatal case who came from Kassanda district and passed on in Mulago Hospital. Seven family members are from Masanafu and one health worker who managed him in a private clinic together with his wife from Seguku," Dr. Aceng said.

She revealed that currently, the total number of Ebola cases confirmed in Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area now stands at 14 in the last 48 hours.

Countrywide, the cumulative number of Ebola cases confirmed in the country is 84 with 28 cumulative deaths.

"Fellow Ugandans, let's be vigilant. Report yourself if you have had contact or know of a person who has had contact. Let us cooperate to end Ebola," Dr.Aceng said.

The development comes on the backdrop of the imposition of a lockdown and curfew in the districts of Mubende and Kassanda for 21 days over the Ebola virus.

In the two districts Ebola was first reported in Uganda last month.

"There is will be no movement in and out of Mubende and Kassanda. There will also be curfew in Mubende and Kasanda districts starting from 7 pm to 6 am in the morning. During the day you can move but within your district and at night you stay in your compound," President Museveni said while announcing the curfew.

The president said the move to lock the two districts down came after locals failed to adhere to directives and guidelines by the Ministry of Health in regards the control and prevention of Ebola.

For example, Museveni said a number of people despite having signs and symptoms of Ebola would jump on boda bodas or other public transport means and ended up spreading the virus to others.

Many of them who contracted the virus ended up at traditional healers seeking for treatment yet this is dangerous to both the patient and healer who is not qualified to treat Ebola.

In the same regard, the president put Kampala on high alert over the virus.

"For Kampala city, while the two cases that tested positive came from Mubende district and are regarded as Mubende cases, because of the presence of contacts of these two cases and the risks of infection. I have directed a full mobilisation of Kampala city into a response mode," Museveni said.

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