Concerns in Uganda after 7 cases of Ebola are reported
Ahmed Salem
Witnesses Uganda A state of anxiety and tension has arisen following the noticeable spread of the Ebola virus, especially after two new confirmed cases were recorded yesterday, Monday, bringing the total number of infections to seven.
All the recorded cases are linked to the Ebola outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which likely began days or weeks before Congolese authorities officially declared it on May 15.
The outbreak began when a 59-year-old Congolese man entered a hospital in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on May 11, before dying three days later, and it was later revealed that he had been infected with the Ebola virus.
Meanwhile, test results showed that two Congolese citizens, who had received medical care in Uganda, were infected with the virus.
Ebola in Uganda
Ugandan health authorities confirmed on Saturday the first cases of local infection, with a driver and a health worker testing positive after coming into contact with the Congolese patient who died on May 11.
In a related context, the Ministry of Health announced that tests revealed that two more health sector workers inside a private hospital in Kampala had been infected.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the number of Ebola cases has exceeded 900, particularly in the eastern province of Ituri, which is the current epicenter of the outbreak, authorities reported on Sunday.
Ebola outbreak escalates in Congo
Earlier, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, attended the opening of a new treatment center in Bunia, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as part of support for international efforts to combat the escalating outbreak of the virus in the region.
Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, is the epicenter of a rare Ebola virus outbreak, which is spreading rapidly despite the availability of some improved health facilities and the arrival of medical aid.
During his speech at the opening ceremony, Tedros praised the recovery of five patients infected with the deadly hemorrhagic virus, explaining that the first recovery was recorded on Friday, while four patients left the hospital within a short period.
The World Health Organization director said: “People can recover from Ebola, and some patients have already left the hospital,” stressing that seeking early medical care makes a big difference in chances of survival.
He pointed out that the Ebola virus of the Bundibugyo strain still lacks an approved treatment or vaccine so far, but that does not preclude the possibility of recovery in the event of rapid medical intervention.
He added that current efforts are focused on developing vaccines and treatments, but stressed that “this does not mean that the disease cannot be recovered from.”.
Tedros stressed that community response is a crucial element in containing the outbreak, calling on citizens to look after themselves and others to reduce the spread of infection.
