Over the last few weeks, mixed reports have come out pointing to a possible outbreak of the deadly Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever in Nakaseke district.
Recently, authorities in the district claimed that there was a confirmed case of the outbreak of the Congo fever in the district. But this was dismissed by the Ministry of Health officials saying that the samples of the suspected patients had tested negative.
What do you need to know about Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever?
We have compiled facts on how the viral disease is spread, its signs and symptoms and how it can be prevented.
Although Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a serious disease which kills humans in a short time, it can be prevented.
The virus causes severe viral
haemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreaks in humans and its outbreaks can cause death to about 40% of the people who get the infection.
It is transmitted to people from ticks and wild and domestic animals and
spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission, through contact with blood, other body secretions or tissues of infected humans or animals and there is no vaccine available for either people or animals.
Some of the common signs of the deadly disease include sudden on-set of high fever, headache, back pain, joint pain, abdominal pain, dizziness (feeling that you are losing your balance and about to fall), neck pain and stiffness.
In addition, the person can also have nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat, sharp mood swings, confusion, bleeding, bruising or a rash and after 2 or 4 days, the patient may experience sleeplessness and depression.
To prevent the disease, a person should check him/herself for ticks after working with animals and remove them immediately and if animals are infested with ticks, he/she should spray them using a recommended acaricide to
kill the ticks.
People should avoid direct physical contact with body fluids such as blood, saliva, vomitous, stool, urine and sweat from infected persons and in case of any contact with a suspected patient, a person should wash your hands with soap and water immediately.
Skin piercing instruments which have been used by a person suspected to have CCHF should not be used and direct contact with dead bodies of people who have died of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic fever should be avoided.
With the disease so far suspected in Nakasese and Kiboga districts, Ugandans need to remain vigilant to avoid acquiring the disease.