The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Monday that it has begun vaccinating contacts of the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease case confirmed in Kampala last week.
Confirming that an additional two samples from close relatives of the deceased health worker had tested positive for the viral disease, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the MOH Spokesperson said that they have since listed 234 contacts who will be receiving a vaccine that is still under trial.
Earlier, the World Health Organisation had indicated that the candidate vaccine and the candidate treatments including a monoclonal antibody, and an antiviral are being made available to the country through clinical trial protocols, which will make it possible to further document their efficacy and safety.
By Friday, the first 2160 doses of the vaccine candidate and the treatments were already in Kampala and Ainebyoona says it’s from these that they are treating the newly confirmed cases.
Allaying fears from rumors that had been circulating on social media over the weekend that the body of the index case had been exhumed, and more people were showing symptoms, the spokesperson said they had set up a mobile laboratory in Mbale in addition to the National Laboratory in Kampala to quickly capture any new case that may come up.
Individuals receiving the Ebola vaccine get two doses of the drug. Like other viral diseases, there is no confirmed treatment for Ebola but health workers intervene to offer supportive treatment to control symptoms which may include fever, headache, rash, running nose, vomiting and bleeding but in severe instances leads to multi-organ failure.
Experts say those without symptoms don’t spread the disease. Uganda had last recorded an Ebola outbreak in September 2022 starting from Mubende district before spreading to neighboring districts. In total during this outbreak, there were 164 cases – 142 confirmed and 22 probable, 55 confirmed deaths and 87 recovered patients.
By end of January 2023, the disease had been controlled and the country declared free.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health (MOH) surveillance teams on Monday tracked down a nurse, who also runs a drug shop, suspected of having been in contact with an Ebola patient last week.
Reports indicate that a nurse from Mulago National Referral Hospital, who succumbed to Ebola last week, had relatives living in Mafubira Zone A, Northern Division, Jinja City. To date, it’s still unclear where the current outbreak could have originated from.
Following his death, his wife, whose name has been withheld, traveled with one of their children to Jinja City. She was tracked down on Friday, tested positive for Ebola, and is now undergoing treatment at Mulago Hospital. However, she had left the child with the grandmother.
On Saturday, the child developed fever-like symptoms. Initially, the grandmother took her to a nearby drug shop for treatment, but her condition worsened, prompting them to rush her to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital. Upon revealing their relationship with the deceased nurse from Mulago Hospital, both the grandmother and the child were transferred to Mulago Hospital, where the child tested positive for Ebola on Sunday.
On Monday afternoon, surveillance teams surrounded the nurse’s drug shop and home. They interacted with him and his wife before he admitted to having treated the child. The teams also visited two schools where the nurse’s children were enrolled, picked them up, and brought them to their parents’ home.
A total of five families were advised to board the surveillance team ambulance and were transported to Mulago National Referral Hospital for further assessment. Authorities fumigated the nurse’s premises and all neighboring homes within a 50-meter radius. Community members were sensitized on standard operating procedures, including handwashing and avoiding handshakes.
The surveillance team also urged residents to visit Jinja Hospital if they experience Ebola-like symptoms such as fever and vomiting. Jinja City’s health department is yet to issue an official statement. However, Jinja Resident City Commissioner Richard Gulume confirmed the presence of Ebola cases in the area. Gulume stated that the district surveillance teams will hold a comprehensive meeting tomorrow to provide detailed information to the public.
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