Ebola cases in greater Kampala climb to 15

The Director General of Health Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr Henry Mwebesa, has said at least 15 people from the Greater Kampala area have tested positive for Ebola in a spate of less than a week.

While addressing journalists at a media training on Ebola in Kampala yesterday, Dr Mwebesa said out of the 15 patients, 11 are from Rubaga Division, one is from Makindye, one is from Nansana, and two are from Seguku, Wakiso District.

But he clarified that the cases are contacts of the fatal case in Kassanda District. 
“We are talking about 12 people in Kampala and three in Wakiso. We must admit they are Kampala cases, because the one here in Masanafu came from Kassanda, got treatment, and died here. When we came to identify that he had interacted with the family, we got those contacts and isolated them. Now, seven family have turned positive,” Dr Mwebasa said.

He directed the police to be more vigilant, especially at the borders of the two districts under Ebola-induced lockdown, to ensure that people living in the affected districts do not cross into other districts.

President Museveni recently imposed a 21-day lockdown on Mubende and Kassanda districts to contain Ebola viral disease that has so far claimed the lives of 28 people, including a Tanzanian doctor, who was pursuing his Master’s in Medicine from Uganda.  

According to the Ministry of Health, about 90 Ebola cases have been recorded since the first case was declared by the ministry on September 19. 

“We have reached 90 cases of which we have lost 28. That is a fatality rate of about 30 percent. The recovered cases are about 32 and 28 active cases under admission. Because of our high level of contact tracing, we were able to identify contacts and isolate them,” Dr Mwebesa said. 

“The measures are really working. As long as you identify the contacts, isolate and test them. I strongly believe that they are working and we haven’t got any new infiltrations from Kassanda or Mubende into Kampala,” he added.

In her Sunday’s tweet, the Health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, said nine people were confirmed positive for Ebola in the Greater Kampala region bringing the cases to 14 in the last 48 hours.

Dr Aceng said nine cases are contacts of the fatal case who came from Kassanda and passed away 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.

The minister urged the public to be vigilant and report to the nearest health facility if they have had contact or know of a person who has had contact so that they receive timely services. 
They can also call toll free line 0800100066/0800203033
 “Let’s cooperate to end Ebola,” Dr Aceng said is a tweet.