As Uganda continues to grapple with the Sudan-strain Ebola outbreak that struck the country on September 20th, the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) under the coordination of the Health Ministry has deployed 4 ambulances and a response
team to support Mubende district.
By September 24th, Uganda had confirmed 4 new Ebola cases which made the total number of cumulative confirmed cases rise to 15 since the first outbreak.
The Health Ministry also noted that so far they are 19 cumulative deaths, 4 patients within the Ebola treatment Unit, 15 probable community deaths, and 29 active cases admissions onward.
According to the URCS spokesperson Irene Nakasita, they have always been there to support in complementing government interventions in disease prevention and control including the Ebola response and that is the same spirit of this deployment.
“With support from the International Federation of the Red Cross, under the coordination of the Health Ministry, we are also activating an emergency response fund to support surveillance, risk communication, and other response activities”
Nakasiita added.
The response of URCS had come at a time when Health Minister Ruth Aceng had just made a visit to Mubende district where she chaired the National Taskforce to combat Ebola.
In her speech, the Honorable Minister urged the Village Health Teams (VHT) to report any case in the community because covid19 made people poor and all they want currently is to live their lives peacefully.
“Our strength in controlling the Ebola epidemic depends on you VHTs and the communities, you are our strength and I appeal to you to go in your areas and preach that the disease is real and it really exists” Aceng added.
Aceng however noted that the country would not go back into lockdown and business will continue but called upon cooperation in reporting any signs and symptoms of Ebola if observed anywhere.
Uganda has had several Ebola outbreaks with the current one being the 3 rd Ebola Sudan outbreak.
Ebola is a viral, acute disease that can turn fatal if left untreated and it can be transmitted through close contact with the blood or other body fluids of infected animals, blood and body fluids of a person who is sick, and also through objects that have been used by a positive person.
Cumulative cases stand at 34 ( 16 confirmed, 18 probable)
Cumulative deaths stand at 21 (4 confirmed, 17 probable)
Cases reported outside Mubende: 3 in Kyegegwa and 1 in Kasanda but all linked to the
the index case in Mubende.
No confirmed cases in Kampala as yet.
