Kabale to close Marburg centre
State Minister for Primary Health Care Sarah Achieng Opendi enters the Marburg isolation centre in Kabale wearing protective gear last week. PHOTO BY ROBERT MUHEREZA.
Kabale/Mbarara
The Marburg Virus Isolation Centre at Rushoroza Health Centre III in Kabale will be closed tomorrow after a survey established that there are no new cases.
The council secretary for health, Ms Loy Zikampereza, said a mother and her four-year-old child, who tested positive for the virus, were in stable condition. “The two currently admitted will have a special place prepared for them in Butobere in Kabale Town, where medical experts can easily monitor their situation,” she said.
Kabale RDC Mathew Elayu, who chairs the district Marburg task force, issued an order to lift the ban on public gathering in markets, nightclubs and parties.“...but the public is advised to take precautionary measures, especially washing hands with soap and Jik solution every time they go home after work. Everyone should be on the lookout for new cases that might emerge,” he said.
In Ibanda, 13 suspected Marburg virus patients were admitted to Ruhooko Hospital Isolation Centre.
The District Health Officer, Dr Julius Bamwiine, said yesterday they were about to discharge two people who had tested negative. He said they were expecting the results of six others, while blood samples for the rest had just been sent to Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe.
Staff to resume work
At Mbarara Hospital, a staff is under surveillance after developing symptoms similar to the Marburg virus, Sr. Eugenia Namulindwa, the head of the isolation unit, said.
She said 18 members of staff, who got in contact with a person that died of the virus on October 23 were expected to resume work yesterday after the set 21 days of monitoring elapsed as they had tested negative. “We have one member of staff that has shown Marburg virus symptoms but we have taken her blood samples for testing,” she said.
Sr Namulindwa said the isolation centre had been temporarily closed as all suspected cases had tested negative. She said a team would remain on standby to tackle any suspected cases.
