Ebola: Country on high alert

Kampala.
The Ministry of Health yesterday set up a screening centre at Entebbe International Airport after a suspected Ebola case was reported in Nairobi, Kenya and Kitgum District.
Health Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said surveillance at other border points have been heightened, although he said there is no Ebola outbreak as no case has been confirmed.

Dr Rugunda told journalists at the government media centre that the Kitgum case, in which one person died, did not meet the “suspicious criteria” although blood test are to be conducted and results would be released within 24 hours.
The 30-year-old man identified as Charles Obita died at St Joseph Hospital Kitgum, two days after being admitted with Ebola-like symptoms, according to Dr Geoffrey Okello, the medical superintendent at the facility.

Dr Okello said at the time of his admission, the deceased was passing bloody stool and vomiting blood from the nose, mouth and other openings – all signs associated with Ebola viral heamorrhagic fever.

However, the Commissioner for Community Health in the Ministry of Health, Prof Anthony Mbonye, said it may not necessarily mean that Obita had the disease.

Meanwhile, Prof Mbonye said passengers travelling from the West African countries that have been hit by what has been described by experts as the worst Ebola outbreak ever, will be subjected to screening tests before they can be allowed in the country.

“We are starting with a two-day training for all the immigration officers at Entebbe International Airport together with health workers at the health desk that has been put at the airport on how to screen travellers for Ebola. We are looking at all passengers from West Africa,” Prof Mbonye said.
According to a statement from the ministry, the health desk targets all people with recent travel of 21 days in the affected countries while the isolation unit at Entebbe and the airport medical centre have been equipped.

This also comes at a time when a suspected case of Ebola has been reported in Nairobi after a passenger coming from Liberia presented its signs and symptoms.

According to Dr Issa Makumbi, the head of Epidemiology and Surveillance department of ministry of Health, the passenger landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 5am with fever, vomiting and other symptoms common with Ebola heamorrhagic fever.
“We received information from our Kenyan surveillance counterparts. The suspected passenger has been isolated and tests will be done to confirm whether he has the disease or not,” Dr Makumbi said.

Prof Mbonye appeals to the public, especially travellers to the three affected countries, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone as well as people in contact with those coming from the three countries to take precaution.

“...If the Nairobi case is confirmed, then we will have to do more in terms of enhancing our surveillance because Kenya is one of our immediate neighbours, but more so because of the nature of our borders,” Prof Mbonye said.

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 670 people in West Africa have died of Ebola since February.

Travel caution

The public has been advised to limit their travels to any of the affected countries until the situation is contained while those travelling are advised to observe precautionary measures instituted by the respective countries.
Please report to the nearest health facility in case you notice the following; fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, red eyes and bleeding fro body openings.

Additional Reporting by Dan Micheal Komakech & Juluis Ocungi