Wednesday , January 8 2025
Home / Society catergory / Health / MPOX: Kampala records a high and increasing number of cases

MPOX: Kampala records a high and increasing number of cases

Taking sample from mpox patient. PHOTO URN

KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health is reporting a sustained high number of mpox cases in the country that is currently ranking third on the continent after Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the latest update released by the Ministry’s surveillance pillar, Busoga, South Central and South Western regions recorded an increase in infections during the festive season bringing the Cumulative confirmed cases to 1,571 with nineteen being newly confirmed in the last 24 hours.

Commenting about the current status, Dr Col Henry Kyobe, the National Incident Manager in charge of emergencies such as COVID-19, Ebola and mpox told URN that while many districts reported a decline in cases during the festive season break with more than forty districts going without a case in the last 15 days, Kampala is still sustainably recording a high and increasing number of cases.

Like it has been since the first case was confirmed in the country in late July, Kyobe explains that their analysis of how the disease manifests itself shows that the main drivers are still sex workers and their contacts who are mainly commuter taxi drivers, Boda Boda motorcyclists and vendors.

Kawaala, Bwaise and Nabweru currently have the highest number in the Kampala Metropolitan area and the doctor explains that even among sex workers, they are establishing that infections are highest among those transacting from low–end neighbourhoods of Kampala.

While there were worries that the movements during the festivities could drive transmission higher, experts say this may not be the case with mpox as it’s mainly spreading in a specific category. Kyobe says it’s because of this reason that there is a reduction in cases in some eleven districts.

Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy.

Most people fully recover, but experts say some get very sick and succumb to the disease. In Uganda, thirteen people have so far succumbed with the majority of them being people who were living with HIV.

The latest death in the country was recorded on January 1, 2025.

****

URN

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *