Re: Uganda: New Ebola outbreak - 6 deaths in 1 week
Published Date: 2012-12-18 14:06:33
Subject: PRO/EAFR> Ebola virus disease - Uganda (22): (Luwero)
Archive Number: 20121218.293800
EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE - UGANDA (22): (LUWERO)
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Date: Tue 18 Dec 2012Source: Daily Monitor [edited]
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Natio...a-free/-/688334/1646104/-/jhft2d/-/index.html
The Ministry of Health could declare Luwero Ebola-free on 16 Jan 2012 (next year) if no new confirmed cases are reported, the district Ebola task force has said.
The district health officer, Dr Joseph Okware, said the isolation centres have not received any new admissions of Ebola patients since 17 Nov [2012].
Dr Okware on Monday [17 Dec 2012] said all suspected cases which had been referred to Bombo Military Hospital and Nyimbwa Health Centre IV isolation units had been discharged.
"We started counting the dates on 6 Dec [2012] after confirming that we had no confirmed Ebola positive case. The surveillance team has also completed the follow up and monitoring of the contact persons," he said.
The ministry announced the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in Luweero District on 13 Nov [2012], after results from the Uganda Virus Research Institute of 2 blood samples of victims who had died at Nyimbwa Health Centre IV tested positive.
The officials have so far confirmed that only 4 people contracted the disease in the district, while the other suspected cases admitted tested negative and were discharged.
[Byline: Dan Wandera]
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[Health officials in Luwero district, Central Uganda report that no new confirmed Ebola cases have been detected in the last 18 days, and hence the countdown to declaring the district Ebola-free is on. Enhanced surveillance for Ebola cases is ongoing, but officials need to consider initiating research to determine the reasons for the recent upsurge in viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in the country. This will boost prevention and prediction of future outbreaks as a sustainable way of protecting at-risk populations and better investment of the limited resources.