Uganda - Cases - 6

[Gert van der Hoek]

Ugandan with HINI symptoms put on isolation

The Citizen Correspondent Entebbe

A woman who arrived today at Entebbe airport has been rushed to Hospital after exhibiting some of the symptoms of the deadly Swine Flu.

Ms Sarah Nagaayi, a resident of old Kampala was identified at the airport's swine flu screening desk and rushed to Entebbe grade B hospital.

A source at the airport who preferred anonymity said that Ms Nagaayi travelled from South Africa aboard a South African plane but when she got to Entebbe airport, she was too weak to walk, had a sour throat and consistent cough. These are some of the symptoms of Swine Flu.

Ms Roselyn Mutoonyi, the head of causality ward at Entebbe hospital says Nagaayi has spent six months in South Africa, on a visit to her brother.

She said that tests were being carried out and results would be released by the Uganda virus research institute.

On Monday, Kenya confirmed it�s the first case of the deadly swine flu influenza causing fear across the region. Over 70,000 cases of swine flu have been reported world wide, with over 300 deaths.

Here are some details about the spread of the new H1N1 flu, a mixture of swine, bird and human viruses and which has infected nearly 73,000, according to the latest World Health Organisation and local health authority tallies.

http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=13513

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Ugandan with HINI symptoms put on isolation

Uganda reports one confirmed A/H1N1 case
+ -
20:38, July 02, 2009



The East African country of Uganda has reported a confirmed A/H1N1 case, James Kakooza, Ugandan state minister for primary healthcare announced on Thursday.

The health official said the confirmed case was a 40-year-old British man who flew last Friday to the Ugandan city of Entebbe via the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

In addition, the Ugandan authorities have ruled out six suspected cases.

The discovery came after Uganda has been on high alert following the confirmation of the first A/H1N1 flu case in neighboring Kenya.

"Uganda is extremely on high alert. We are well prepared for it. We have put concrete steps. You shouldn't worry," Stephen Malinga, Uganda's health minister, told reporters on Tuesday.

"We have experienced people and drugs for treatment of H1N1 flu. We have demonstrated that we are the most well known country in the world in dealing with the epidemics," he said.

Medical checkup points have been set up at the country's international airport at Entebbe, 40 km south of Kampala, and other border entry points, screening all people traveling into the country as a mechanism to stop a possible spread of the virus.

Kenya's health authorities on Monday confirmed the first A/H1N1 flu case among a visiting group of British students in the country.

The World Health Organization has recently provided Uganda with 40,040 doses of Tamiflu that will be used in case of a pandemic breakout in the East African country. The world health body also provided the country with 25 sets of protective wear for medical workers.

Tamiflu has been proved effective in treating the highly contagious viral disease.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6692225.html

[Chuck]

Re: Uganda - H1N1 - Confirmed Cases - 1

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Swine_flu_confirmed_in_Uganda_87423.shtml

Swine flu confirmed in Uganda

Sarah Scheenstra

Kampala

Uganda?s first case of the H1N1 swine flu virus was confirmed Wednesday night in a 40-year-old man from the UK, the Ministry of Health announced Thursday.

The man arrived in Uganda on June 26, 2009 from London via Nairobi to Entebbe on Kenya Airways. He passed through the health checkpoint at the airport with no symptoms and proceeded to Kampala to visit Ugandan friends. He did not stay in a hotel.

After contracting flu symptoms, he was admitted to Entebbe Hospital where Wednesday night he was confirmed to have Influenza A (H1N1) by the health laboratories in Entebbe.

The patient has been isolated in Entebbe and is reported to be in good condition. Officials were not able to give more information about the man or his activities while in Kampala.

?The task force is ready and we are going to make sure that whatever cases are reported to us we can handle,? Mr James Kakooza, the State Minister for Primary Health Care, said yesterday.

The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the WHO has been working to prepare Uganda for the outbreak.

According to Mr Paul Kagwa, the assistant commissioner for health education and promotion, the country has been preparing for the virus for the past six months
Passengers arriving at the Entebbe International Airport must pass through a special health screening before they proceed through immigration. The screening is a self-report questionnaire asking passengers where they are coming from and whether they have any flu symptoms.

When the man who is being kept at Entebbe Grade B Hospital arrived on the June 26, he had no symptoms and easily passed through the screening. The borders are also supposed to be carefully monitored, however, although Mr Kagwa told the Daily Monitor on Tuesday that all border points were being instructed to be ?extra vigilant,? the first case seems to have caught the people manning them unaware.

An Akamba bus driver, who refused to be named for fear of being fired, told Daily Monitor that no health screening is taking place at the border. ?No one is screened there, they only stamp the passport,? he said soon after arriving in Kampala yesterday morning from Kenya via the Busia border. Several others recently arrived in the country confirmed his report.

In response to the border situation, Mr Kakooza said the situation will be ?beefed up.? ?We are going to send another team to borders,? he said at a news conference at the media centre yesterday.

Dr Sam Okware, the director general of the Uganda National Health Research Organisation, said monitoring the entry points is not the most effective way to prevent the disease. He said individuals and communities themselves need to report outbreaks of the sickness.

Besides heightening surveillance around the country and promoting public awareness on the flu, the Ministry of Health and WHO have established a multi-sectoral National Task Force in recent months to coordinate all technical efforts and create strategies for preparedness and response.

Medicines (Tami Flu) for treatment are available in the country, laboratories have been strengthened so that they can undertake screening and diagnosis, and isolation facilities have been set up in Entebbe and Mulago hospitals, Mr Kakooza said yesterday.
?Since its one case we have had now, I don?t think it has saturated all over,? Mr Kakooza told journalists.

Dr Saweka, the country representative of the World Health Organisation, warned against unnecessary panic. ?Usually WHO does not recommend people going on the street with a mask,? he told journalists, adding that only those who are in contact with an H1N1 case need wear masks.

The H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as ?swine flu,? is actually a type A influenza strain made up of a genetic combination of the swine, avian, and human influenza viruses. It is passed from human to human and cannot be gotten by eating pork as some suppose, Dr Okware said yesterday. ?People should be encouraged to eat swine so that they can get their nutrition,? he said, laughing.

Kenya confirmed their first case of the H1N1 virus earlier this week in a British student who had travelled from Nairobi to Kisumu. ?It seems Kisumu might already have 11 cases,? Dr Saweka said yesterday at the press conference. He later added that they are still waiting for final confirmation on those cases.

Until now, there were 96 confirmed cases across Africa, with Uganda now contributing the 97th. So far, none of these cases have been terminal. The Ministry of Health has urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspected cases.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Uganda - H1N1 - Confirmed Cases - 3

Uganda: Two More Cases of Swine Flu Confirmed

Joyce Namutebi10 July 2009

Kampala ? TWO more cases of swine flu (influenza 'A' HINI virus) have been confirmed, bringing the total number of people infected to three, the Ministry of Health has announced.

The new patients are confined and undergoing treatment, a statement issued by Dr. D. K.W. Lwamafa said yesterday.

Lwamafa, however, did not name the patients, or the hospitals where they are being treated. He explained that all the three cases originated from outside the country.

He clarified that the Ugandan student who was confirmed to be suffering from swine flu in Belgrade, Serbia, during the university games is.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907130173.html

[FrenchieGirl]

Uganda - Cases - 6

Uganda: Another Citizen Contracts Swine Flu

Anthony Bugembe

16 July 2009

Kampala ? A Ugandan woman working at Amber House in Kampala has contracted the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, from a workmate. This, according to health experts, becomes the first case to be transmitted locally.

Unlike the previously confirmed cases which were imported from the UK, this one was spread from a locally confirmed case.

A fortnight ago, a Ugandan businesswoman returning from the UK was confirmed to have the virus. Her 50-year-old husband and 20-year-old son were also confirmed as having been infected. The three were quarantined in their house in Mutungo near Kitintale.

Before they were quarantined, the husband went to work where a colleague got infected. "She complained of suspicious symptoms and last night we confirmed her positive," said Sam Okware, the chairperson of the national Influenza A taskforce.
Relevant Links

* East Africa
* Uganda
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Okware said the woman has now been quarantined at her home in Seguku, on Entebbe Road and is undergoing treatment. Her four-year-old and eight-month-old children have tested negative and have been separated from their mother, although still in the same house. Uganda has so far confirmed six cases of the virus. Five of these are Ugandans while the fifth was a British national.

Meanwhile, authorities at Malaba border post in Tororo district have started screening all travellers entering the country. However, Mpimbaza Hashaka, the Tororo district swine flu taskforce chairperson, complained of lack of supplies.

He said yesterday that the health ministry has been promising to send facilitation, screening forms and (information) leaflets but nothing was forthcoming.

The main worry, he added, was that the virus is spreading faster in neighbouring Kenya and could get into the country via Malaba.

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Note: according to ECDC, there were 6 confirmed cases in Uganda as of yesterday 16 July 2009