EBOLA: Six health workers isolated at Saidina Hospital

Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Six health workers have been directed to undergo isolation and two units closed at Saidina Abubaker Islamic Hospital in Wakiso district.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health announced the outbreak of the Ebola Sudan virus after a 32-year-old male nurse, an employee of Mulago National Referral Hospital died.

Initially, the male nurse developed fever-like symptoms and sought treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Wattuba Trading Centre, Kasangati division, in Wakiso District and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Mbale City, as well as from a traditional healer.

The patient presented with a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing, which later progressed to unexplained bleeding from multiple body parts. The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on 29th January 2025. Post-mortem samples confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease.

Sheikh Ali Lubowa, the Principal Hospital Administrator of Saidina Abubaker Islamic Hospital explains that the patient who is also the husband of one of the staff was booked in the High Dependency Unit on Saturday in critical condition and attended by a doctor together with other nurses.

Lubowa added that however three hours later, the relatives asked that the patient be referred to Mbale Regional Hospital and a discharge letter was given to them on their request.

Lubowa added that the patient was admitted to the High Dependency Unit alone before he was relocated to another private ward where there were no patients.

“So the patients only came in contact with health workers and their relatives while at the hospital. The HDU has only two beds and he was there alone. He didn’t come into contact with other patients” Lubowa explained.

Lubowa said that following confirmation that the patient died of ebola sudan virus, the epidemiologists from the Ministry of Health visited the hospital on Wednesday and directed that the two units be closed with immediate effect which they did.

He noted that they also advised that all the six workers who came into contact with the patient be isolated at their homes for 21 days as they monitor them.

“So far we have attached a doctor to monitor their condition and in case any health worker manifests signs related to the disease, we shall immediately evacuate and transfer him or her to Mulago Hospital for further treatment. The good thing is the majority of them were staying alone and monitoring is easy” Lubowa

Lubowa said that the other health workers on duty have been put on high alert to ensure they also take necessary measures to guard themselves against the virus.

“However we need to inform the public that the hospital is open to offer them services and it’s only two units that we remain closed till the Ministry of Health sends a team to completely disinfect them. We are in the process of introducing more sanitizing points at the facility as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the virus” Lubowa added.

Emmanuel Mukisa, the Wakiso District Health Officer asked for time to discuss the measures taken to contain the spread of the virus in the community.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health said that they had listed 44 contacts including 30 Health workers and patients from Mulago, family Members of the deceased, and health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital.

The Ministry of Health ordered Resident District Commissioners to activate Task Forces in districts of Wakiso, Mukono, Kampala, Mpigi, Mbale city and Mbale district to fight the spread of the disease.

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola is transmitted by coming into contact with infected animals when preparing, cooking, or eating them. It can also be transmitted through the body fluids of an infected person such as saliva, urine, faeces, or semen. It is also spread through the body fluids of an infected person like clothes or sheets.

Ebola enters the body through cuts in the skin or when touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth.

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