Uganda on Alert over Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo

The Ministry of Health has intensified surveillance measures focusing on all travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arriving in Uganda through the various points of entry.

The DRC, confirmed a new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Beni Health Zone of North Kivu province.

The case is a three-year-old male who was admitted on October 6, 2021 with haemorrhagic symptoms whose sample tested positive for EVD.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of October 9 the Response teams in DRC have identified a total 148 contacts, and these are under follow.

The Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, while giving an update of the Covid-19 situation in the country, said that the country is prepared for the threats of an EVD outbreak in the country, saying that surveillance in border districts to DRC has also been heightened.

Aceng appealed to members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspected case with EVD symptoms to the nearest health facilities.
“We appeal to members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspected case with EVD symptoms to the nearest health facility,” she said.

Aceng reiterated that Uganda has not reported any suspected or confirmed case of EVD.

Covid-19

Uganda has so far registered 124,864 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19, a total of 96,321 recoveries, and 3,179 deaths. Currently there are 239 patients admitted in health facilities countrywide.

According to Aceng. the positivity rate has dropped from 21% (the highest in this wave) to an average of 3.4% in the past 10 days, the dominant variant that is circulating in the country is the Delta.

She said the daily average number of confirmed cases over the last one month has declined and stabilized at 124 cases countrywide, from an average of 1,445 cases at the peak of the second wave in June 2021.

“Similarly, the daily average number of deaths has declined to 6 from 57 deaths at the height of the peak of the second wave,” Aceng said.