Fear of an Ebola epidemic in Uganda

The exact extent of the epidemic in Uganda is not yet recorded

08/05/2012

The Ebola virus is still causing trouble in Uganda. Physicians and experts continue to try to keep the dangerous Ebola fever in Uganda under control. According to official figures from the Ugandan health authorities, so far 16 patients have died of the infectious disease since the outbreak of the viral epidemic in early July 2012. More than 230 patients are still treated or at least monitored in hospitals.

„The exact case numbers are still unknown“, said a spokesman for the authorities. That's because the incubation period is up to 21 days. In laboratory tests, five patient cases have been clearly confirmed so far. Of the confirmed infected three people have died. The other two tested are in quarantine with another 50 patients.

Ebola epidemic is limited to the north of the country
According to World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman Tarek Jasarevic, the Ebola epidemic is currently limited to the western part of Uganda. For the first time the virus appeared in the state district Kibaale. The region is located about 200 kilometers from the Ugandan capital Kampala and near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the meantime it became „the students of the affected region are free to attend classes“, as the state television reported. It was also said that prison visits by relatives are currently prohibited in order to reduce the risk of infection.

As a speaker of President Yoweri Museven explained during the week, at least one person in the state capital Kampala had already died from the Ebola virus. The Ugandan Red Cross (URC) has sent a team of over 100 volunteers to Kibaale County. For the fourth time in twelve years, the country was hit by the deadly virus. „Meanwhile, the country is well organized to respond to the Ebola fever“, as the Red Cross expert Bildard Baguma emphasized. About five years ago, 37 people died of the disease in the western part of the African country. In 2000, 137 deaths were reported, but at that time the virus occurred in the north of the East African state. (Sb)

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Picture: Aka