Re: Red Cross Officials Confirm Chicken Pox Outbreak in Uganda - not Small Pox
http://eafr.promedmail.org/
ProMED-EAFR:East Africa
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Published Date
2010-03-26 16:20:21
Subject
PRO/EAFR> Undiagnosed illness - Uganda (02): (Bududa) chickenpox
Archive Number
20100326.206392
Full Text
UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESS - UGANDA (02): (BUDUDA) CHICKENPOX
******************************************************
Date: Fri 26 Mar 2010
From: Daily Monitor (Uganda) [edited]
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/887080/-/view/printVersion/-/yg2ph5z/-/index.html
The Ministry of Health yesterday [25 Mar 2010] said the smallpox
outbreak reported in eastern Uganda is a false alarm, stressing that
cases under investigation in the region are likely to be chickenpox
infections. "In Bududa District IDP [internally displaced persons]
camps, they (health workers) have seen suspected cases of
chickenpox," Dr Kenya Mugisha, the acting director general of health
services, said. "We have sent our teams there to verify the cases but
it's not smallpox."
The acutely infectious disease, which the World Health Organisation
says by 1967 threatened 60 per cent of the world's population and
killed every 4th victim, was officially wiped out worldwide in
December 1979 through mass vaccination.
Thus Wednesday's [24 Mar 2010] announcement by the Uganda Red Cross
Society [URCS], which is involved in health surveillance and
humanitarian aid in Bududa, of an outbreak of smallpox immediately
triggered international uproar. "4 cases of smallpox have been
reported at Bukigai Health Centre III and Bulucheke Health Centre II,
which is feared to spread amongst children," the humanitarian agency
said in its statement signed by Senior Public Relations Officer
Catherine Ntabadde.
Ms Kevin Nabutuwa, the agency's regional programme officer for
eastern Uganda, told this newspaper in a follow-up interview that the
new infections were registered on Monday [22 Mar 2010] and Tuesday
[23 Mar 2010]. However, Dr Mugisha said: "This is wrong information.
The cases there are chickenpox infections; an illness that causes
skin rash, fever, running nose. and body weakness, which is self-limiting."
Yesterday [25 Mar 2010], URCS officials apologised over the
"misinformation" and acknowledged some "mix up" in communicating
about the epidemic. "That was misinformation. There's no smallpox
here; it's chickenpox," Ms Nabutuwa said by phone from the
neighbouring Mbale District. "3 of the children have been discharged
and have returned to Bulucheke IDP camp."
If the Bududa cases were confirmed as smallpox, Uganda would be
required to shut its borders, including grounding international
flights. The scientist(s) correctly diagnosing the acute infection
would pocket [USD] 50 000 (Shs 105 m), a long standing bounty for
anyone who ascertains re-occurrence of smallpox anywhere in the world.
Yesterday [25 Mar 2010], Mr Ben Sensasi, the health promotion officer
at WHO Uganda Country Office, said, "I haven't heard anything about
outbreak of smallpox. People keep imagining the cases thinking they
will get [USD] 50 000 bounty," he said, "I don't think it's smallpox,
it can't be." Information from the WHO website indicates chickenpox
patients present with fever, malaise, headache, prostration, severe
back pain and, less often, abdominal pain and vomiting -- similar to
smallpox warning signs.
In a statement yesterday [25 Mar 2010], MoH said the 1st case of
chickenpox affecting a 2.5-year-old child in Bulucheke IDP camp was
registered on [15 Mar 2010] and the last one on [21 Mar 2010]. "The
Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation would like to
re-assure the general public that there is no outbreak of smallpox in
Uganda," the statement read in part.
[Byline: Tabu Butagira]
--
Communicated by:
Sharon Sanders
Flutrackers.com
[This report now clarifies that the undiagnosed, suspected pox virus
illness [see ProMED EAFR 20100326.206377] is due to chickenpox and
not smallpox as indicated in the initial report. This actually points
to a need to improve disaster communication to prevent similar
alarming reports in future. The current report indicates that if
smallpox virus were to be confirmed, Uganda would be required to shut
its borders, including grounding international flights. The current
international health regulations (IHR (2005) provide for application
of sound epidemiological control measures to contain outbreaks
locally in addition to surveillance at international points of entry
so as to prevent unnecessary interference to international traffic
and trade. It would therefore not be required for Uganda or any other
WHO member country that is bound by the IHR (2005) and affected by
smallpox to shut their international points of entry provided there
is evidence that the country is applying the recommended public
health response measures in consultation with the WHO.
Bududa district is located near the Kenyan border and can be seen on
the map at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Districts_of_Uganda. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
http://healthmap.org/r/01bq. - Mod.JFW]
http://eafr.promedmail.org/
ProMED-EAFR:East Africa
Most Recent Alert
View printable version
Published Date
2010-03-26 16:20:21
Subject
PRO/EAFR> Undiagnosed illness - Uganda (02): (Bududa) chickenpox
Archive Number
20100326.206392
Full Text
UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESS - UGANDA (02): (BUDUDA) CHICKENPOX
******************************************************
Date: Fri 26 Mar 2010
From: Daily Monitor (Uganda) [edited]
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/887080/-/view/printVersion/-/yg2ph5z/-/index.html
The Ministry of Health yesterday [25 Mar 2010] said the smallpox
outbreak reported in eastern Uganda is a false alarm, stressing that
cases under investigation in the region are likely to be chickenpox
infections. "In Bududa District IDP [internally displaced persons]
camps, they (health workers) have seen suspected cases of
chickenpox," Dr Kenya Mugisha, the acting director general of health
services, said. "We have sent our teams there to verify the cases but
it's not smallpox."
The acutely infectious disease, which the World Health Organisation
says by 1967 threatened 60 per cent of the world's population and
killed every 4th victim, was officially wiped out worldwide in
December 1979 through mass vaccination.
Thus Wednesday's [24 Mar 2010] announcement by the Uganda Red Cross
Society [URCS], which is involved in health surveillance and
humanitarian aid in Bududa, of an outbreak of smallpox immediately
triggered international uproar. "4 cases of smallpox have been
reported at Bukigai Health Centre III and Bulucheke Health Centre II,
which is feared to spread amongst children," the humanitarian agency
said in its statement signed by Senior Public Relations Officer
Catherine Ntabadde.
Ms Kevin Nabutuwa, the agency's regional programme officer for
eastern Uganda, told this newspaper in a follow-up interview that the
new infections were registered on Monday [22 Mar 2010] and Tuesday
[23 Mar 2010]. However, Dr Mugisha said: "This is wrong information.
The cases there are chickenpox infections; an illness that causes
skin rash, fever, running nose. and body weakness, which is self-limiting."
Yesterday [25 Mar 2010], URCS officials apologised over the
"misinformation" and acknowledged some "mix up" in communicating
about the epidemic. "That was misinformation. There's no smallpox
here; it's chickenpox," Ms Nabutuwa said by phone from the
neighbouring Mbale District. "3 of the children have been discharged
and have returned to Bulucheke IDP camp."
If the Bududa cases were confirmed as smallpox, Uganda would be
required to shut its borders, including grounding international
flights. The scientist(s) correctly diagnosing the acute infection
would pocket [USD] 50 000 (Shs 105 m), a long standing bounty for
anyone who ascertains re-occurrence of smallpox anywhere in the world.
Yesterday [25 Mar 2010], Mr Ben Sensasi, the health promotion officer
at WHO Uganda Country Office, said, "I haven't heard anything about
outbreak of smallpox. People keep imagining the cases thinking they
will get [USD] 50 000 bounty," he said, "I don't think it's smallpox,
it can't be." Information from the WHO website indicates chickenpox
patients present with fever, malaise, headache, prostration, severe
back pain and, less often, abdominal pain and vomiting -- similar to
smallpox warning signs.
In a statement yesterday [25 Mar 2010], MoH said the 1st case of
chickenpox affecting a 2.5-year-old child in Bulucheke IDP camp was
registered on [15 Mar 2010] and the last one on [21 Mar 2010]. "The
Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation would like to
re-assure the general public that there is no outbreak of smallpox in
Uganda," the statement read in part.
[Byline: Tabu Butagira]
--
Communicated by:
Sharon Sanders
Flutrackers.com
[This report now clarifies that the undiagnosed, suspected pox virus
illness [see ProMED EAFR 20100326.206377] is due to chickenpox and
not smallpox as indicated in the initial report. This actually points
to a need to improve disaster communication to prevent similar
alarming reports in future. The current report indicates that if
smallpox virus were to be confirmed, Uganda would be required to shut
its borders, including grounding international flights. The current
international health regulations (IHR (2005) provide for application
of sound epidemiological control measures to contain outbreaks
locally in addition to surveillance at international points of entry
so as to prevent unnecessary interference to international traffic
and trade. It would therefore not be required for Uganda or any other
WHO member country that is bound by the IHR (2005) and affected by
smallpox to shut their international points of entry provided there
is evidence that the country is applying the recommended public
health response measures in consultation with the WHO.
Bududa district is located near the Kenyan border and can be seen on
the map at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Districts_of_Uganda. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
http://healthmap.org/r/01bq. - Mod.JFW]
