Ebola fever Update

As of  6 August 2012 the Ministry of Health in Uganda has reported a cumulative number of 59 suspected cases of Ebola including 16 deaths.  Ten (10) cases have been laboratory confirmed by the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe, of whom 6 were acute cases and 4 convalescent cases. Currently 36 cases are admitted to an isolation facility in Kagadi hospital, Kibaale district, of whom 29 are in the convalescent ward and will soon be discharged. Of the 398 contacts listed, 84 have completed 21 days, while 292 are still under active follow up.  So far all samples from other districts have tested negative for Ebola. However a clinical officer who attended to a case in Kibaale district was transferred to Mulago Hospital in Kampala for treatment but later died. None of the seven health workers who attended to this fatal case has developed symptoms of the disease by day 16 of follow up. This indicates that there has been no expansion of the outbreak beyond Kibaale District.

A number of countries neighbouring Uganda have taken proactive steps to enhance  surveillance. Both Kenya and  Rwanda have investigated reports of suspected cases  and ruled out Ebola.

The World Health Organisation does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions to be applied to Uganda. The risk of becoming infected is virtually nil unless there has been a direct contact with blood or  bodily fluids of dead or living infected persons.