Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever confirmed in Kabarole

What you need to know:

  • Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral disease with symptoms that include fever, muscle pains, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, and bleeding.
  • The CCHF virus is typically spread by tick bites or contact with livestock carrying the disease. The virus can also spread between people through body fluids.

KABAROLE. One person has been confirmed to have Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital in Kabarole District.
The district health officer, Dr Richard Mugahi, yesterday said they received the suspected patient last week and sent her blood samples to the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe and they tested positive.
He said the patient is from Rweyeza Village, Kasenda Sub-county and was found bleeding and vomiting by the time she was referred. The patient has been in the isolation unit for a week.

“The patient is now in the isolation unit and we are handling her with a lot of care to ensure that we do not lose her,” Dr Mugahi said.
He warned people against sharing sleeping areas with animals.
Dr Mugahi said the disease is as a result of people getting in contact with infected animals, adding that in some areas, people are still sharing houses with animals.

Kabarole District Ebola Task Force chairperson, Mr Steven Asiimwe, said they have banned the movement of animals in vehicles with people, saying this puts people at high risk of contracting diseases.
He said all people dealing in the business of selling animals need to get permits from relevant authorities, warning that any person caught moving animals without a permit will be arrested.
“Diseases like Ebola and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever are transmitted through direct contact with animals. Therefore, we are banning the movement of animals with people in the same vehicles,” he said.