Five Uganda medics recover from Ebola
Uganda says five health workers have recovered from the Ebola Virus Disease and discharged from the Entebbe Isolation unit.
The five are among twenty people who have won their battle with the virus. They were all discharged on Tuesday.
At the same time, Daily Monitor reports, fifteen people from the same family have been taken into forced isolation after resisting and attacking the Ebola surveillance and burial team.
“It is unfortunate that some communities fail to report the cases while the patients are still alive but report the deaths,” she said.
The reports come as the virus makes its way to the country’s capital. One person who tested positive for the disease died in Kampala raising the death toll to 19.
The current outbreak of the deadly virus has infected 54 people according to the health ministry. The Ministry says 14 people are admitted to the hospital.
Today, the World Health Organisation, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, African Union, and Ministry of Health Uganda, held a high-level emergency ministerial meeting on cross-border collaboration for preparedness and response to the outbreak.
The meeting is aiming among other things to curtail the spread of the disease and to strengthen the cross-border fight against the disease. “Proactive management of outbreaks is the best way to ensure an appropriate response in the event of an epidemic,” said Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, head of Africa CDC.
While lauding the attitude of the first patient who contracted the disease and raising awareness, Uganda’s Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said, “To truly succeed against this fight (Ebola Outbreak), we must have the community with us. ”
Kenya remains on high alert for Ebola, with 23 counties at risk. Head of the National Taskforce on Ebola DG Patrick Amoth has said, “We continue to call on Kenyans to maintain vigilance, public health, and social measures, and inform the Ministry of any suspicious cases in the community,” Amoth said.