Terrible, Six health workers at Mubende Hospital test positive for Ebola

According to the General Secretary of the Uganda Medical Association, Mr Herbert Luswata, three are medical workers, two are interns and one is a medical student. The samples of the health workers were sent to the Uganda Virus Research Institute which confirmed the Ebola virus on yesterday. 

Dr Alex Adaku, the Director of Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital says that they are waiting to receive the six medical workers for further management. According to Adaku, the health workers will be managed at the Joint Mobile Emerging Disease Intervention Clinical Capability (JMEDICC) clinic.

Ms Rosemary Byabashaija, the Mubende Resident District Commissioner said that currently there are 42 people admitted at the Ebola Centre in Mubende with 16 people tested and confirmed to be positive for Ebola Virus. 

“Many people continue to contract this disease as the numbers continue increasing, but the good news is that some are being cured of the disease. We currently have 42 people in isolation, and the confirmed positive cases are 16. We have 26 in emergency units,” she said yesterday.

Ms Byabashaija said that at least 300 contact persons have since been traced from the villages and they have set up an isolation centre at Madudu Health Center III.

“We have now embarked on sensitisation campaigns as many locals still believe that Ebola is not real. Some people still believe that signs and symptoms presented by Ebola patients are actually victims of witchcraft and end up going to churches for prayers,” she said.

President Museveni: The good thing is that Ebola is not as infectious as COVID19 which is air-borne. 

Corona was dangerous because you would get it through breathing. Ebola doesn't spread through the air. It spreads through contact.

President Museveni: I saw international media houses like Aljazeera quoting wrong figures. The confirmed cases are 24 with five deaths.

Government has the capacity to control this Ebola virus like we have done before, so there is no need for panic and unnecessary closure of schools, markets and restriction of movement for now.

More about Ebola :-

Museveni: I am told that there’s no vaccine for the Ebola-Sudan strain but some are being experimented. Even if it is being experimented, it can be used. I will update the nation as soon as the vaccine for Ebola-Sudan becomes available. Ebola is treatable.

Government has given Congolese refugees living in Nyakabande and other villages in Kisoro district a directive to either relocate to refugee camps or return to Congo. 

This follows cases of disorderliness, growing insecurity and lack of proper distinguishing between them and the locals after they all integrated.