Saturday, May 28, 2011

South Korea-Unexplained pneumonia, and maternal mortality

2011.05.27
There is no resumption of infectious boreumsae two fifth ...
Hospitalized with pneumonia of unknown cause more people died in a batdeon mothers.

The health authorities 'acute interstitial pneumonia', tentatively concluded that the two deadly diseases in the last 10 days the deadliest since the patient again is spreading anxiety.

Centers for Disease Control, according to the 26th day, all major hospitals in Seoul 4:00 a.m. unexplained Mr. A was hospitalized with pneumonia (36) died.

A day she died of unknown causes pneumonia had been admitted to the hospital, the mother of seven people a people.

Mr. A to the hospital with symptoms of cough and difficulty breathing hard and Stark found it a nuisance 'pulmonary fibrosis' admission to the ICU have been diagnosed, treated, died tribulations.

This is the first time the disease and the symptoms of patients who died are the same.

A Centers for Disease Control said tests of the samples, the only 'adenovirus type 53' Patient which was separated.

CDC through the National University Hospital 43 'acute interstitial pneumonia' caused further determine whether patients and patients who did not go so far as to add chance of infection are reported as missing is holy. Another disease caused by adenoviruses can be determined by pathogens has stated a position.

Meanwhile, the hospital's intensive care unit patients in the hospital being treated for four and two of these patients undergoing surgery for lung transplantation is being recovered, the remaining 1 patient was reported to be waiting for a lung transplant.

GERMANY, KILLER CUCUMBERS LEAVE 7 DEAD, 1000 HOSPITALIZED

13:15 28 MAG 2011

(AGI) Berlin - The number of persons deceased following an infection of Escherichia coli has risen to seven this morning.
The bacteria-killer, "Escherichia coli" (EHEC), was transmitted by the dangerous coli bacterium found in a sample of cucumbers originating in Spain. The Hamburg Health Institute has identified the EHEC bacteria in three cucumbers from Spain and one from the Netherlands
. In the meantime, Spanish authorities have closed two production companies near Malaga and Almeria while Dutch authorities have denied that one of the contaminated cucumbers arrived in Germany from their country. . .

Mystery Virus in South Korea Claims Second Victim


Fri May 27, 6:05 am ET



Health officials in South Korea reported that a second person has died after being infected with an unknown virus.


According to news reports, eight patients from different parts of the country have been hospitalized in recent months with similar cold or flu-like symptoms, including cough and difficulty breathing. Seven of the eight had recently given birth or were expecting. The first victim to die was nine months pregnant; the second was also due to deliver before her death. Doctors were able to save both babies. The expectant women died of multiple organ failure triggered by severe scarring and thickening of the lung tissue.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said all patients have been transferred to a hospital in the country's capital city of Seoul, and are receiving treatment in intensive care. Two were released after receiving lung transplants.

Health officials are conducting DNA tests on the virus isolated from the patients to identify the cause of the infection. Two of the patients have tested positive for the common cold virus and adenovirus, but doctors believe these agents aren't responsible for the more severe symptoms they have seen in the affected patients. They are investigating whether a new viral or even bacterial agent might be circulating in the country.

Acquisition of Human-Type Receptor Binding Specificity by New H5N1 Influenza Virus Sublineages during Their Emergence in Birds in Egypt

Abstract

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus subtype H5N1 is currently widespread in Asia, Europe, and Africa, with 60% mortality in humans. In particular, since 2009 Egypt has unexpectedly had the highest number of human cases of H5N1 virus infection, with more than 50% of the cases worldwide, but the basis for this high incidence has not been elucidated.

A change in receptor binding affinity of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) from α2,3- to α2,6-linked sialic acid (SA) is thought to be necessary for H5N1 virus to become pandemic.

In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of H5N1 viruses isolated between 2006 and 2009 in Egypt. The phylogenetic results showed that recent human isolates clustered disproportionally into several new H5 sublineages suggesting that their HAs have changed their receptor specificity. Using reverse genetics, we found that these H5 sublineages have acquired an enhanced binding affinity for α2,6 SA in combination with residual affinity for α2,3 SA, and identified the amino acid mutations that produced this new receptor specificity. Recombinant H5N1 viruses with a single mutation at HA residue 192 or a double mutation at HA residues 129 and 151 had increased attachment to and infectivity in the human lower respiratory tract but not in the larynx. These findings correlated with enhanced virulence of the mutant viruses in mice. Interestingly, these H5 viruses, with increased affinity to α2,6 SA, emerged during viral diversification in bird populations and subsequently spread to humans. Our findings suggested that emergence of new H5 sublineages with α2,6 SA specificity caused a subsequent increase in human H5N1 influenza virus infections in Egypt, and provided data for understanding the virus's pandemic potential.

Discussion
excerpt:
These findings suggest that currently circulating H5N1 viruses in Egypt lack gene products for efficient human-human transmission, even though they have caused a relatively large number of human cases in Egypt. Indeed, most human infections resulted from direct exposure to H5N1 virus-infected poultry or poultry products and no sustained human-human transmission has been documented to date in Egypt [1], [44]. It should be noted that our findings do not allow determination of the potential for an H5N1-derived pandemic virus in Egypt. However, the emergence of sublineage A and B H5N1 viruses is a possible contributing factor to Egypt recently having the highest number of human H5N1 influenza virus cases in the world, with repeated avian infections increasing the probability of avian-human transmission. To our knowledge, this is the first report identifying amino acid changes in H5 HA responsible for an increase in human H5N1 infections in an endemic area.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Vietnam halts bird flu vaccination due to new type

The Vietnamese government said it had halted the nationwide vaccination of poultry against bird flu, saying a new type of the H5N1 virus had rendered the vaccine ineffective..

Malaria pot pie for you..mmm eat up.

The ministry assures the general public that the outbreak is under
control as seen in the absence of new confirmed cases.

The ministry said that other suspected cases reported in the Western
District of Kasese and the epicenter [in] Luweero district [Central
Region] continue to be monitored.

This site, which had the 3 pdf reports I posted, has removed them from the site since 5 days ago and now has nothing on Ebola at all..They were listed under publications and are now gone.. Funny.. http://www.afenet.net/english/

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

need to get a hold on Ebola now

At least two people are officially known to have died from Ebola and 25 suspect cases traced since the deadly viral disease broke out last week in Nakisamata village in Luwero district.

Luweero District to Launch Sensitizing Campaign on how to fight Ebola

Large organizations like AMREF, Red cross and Tullow oil have joined the sensitizing campaign and for Tullow’s case it has donated 75 Million shillings so that it helps in sensitizing the people and buying medicine for the isolation unit in Bombo Military Hospital.
Ebola outbreak has so far claimed 3 lives including the 12 year old girl who was first diagnosed with the disease. In Bombo Military Hospital the Ministry of Health has set up an isolation unit where the Ebola patients are to be treated. 3 people who had the signs and symptoms of the disease where tested, the results where negative and they are waiting approval from the Ministry to be discharged.http://ugandapicks.com/2011/05/luwee...ght-ebola.html











Ebola: Health to issue update today
Friday, 27th May, 2011







E-mail articlePrint article
By VISION REPORTER

The Ministry of health is to update the country today (Thursday) about the Ebola outbreak.

Journalists are to be briefed at Bombo hospital where the first Ebola case was reported a fortnight ago.

The ministry officials are expected to give the latest update on how the scourge has been contained and to allay fear amongst the public that the virus could spread to other parts of the country.

Ministry officials yesterday said the Ebola outbreak in the country is under control. The head of the Ebola national task force, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said there has been no confirmed case since May 6 when the index case was reported.

“The ministry assures the general public that the outbreak is under control as seen in the absence of new confirmed cases. The public is requested to report any suspected cases to the nearest health unit,” he said.

The ministry said that a total of 21 people have been tested at the Uganda Virus Institute in Entebbe and all prove negative. Mbonye said in a statement that experts were monitoring the 25 people who got in contact with the first victim.

“These contacts on Wednesday completed 18 days of follow up and have three more days to be declared Ebola free,” he said.

Yesterday, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel warning advising US travellers to Uganda to take precaution following the outbreak.

“CDC advises that US citizens residing and travelling to Uganda should be aware of the disease situation and should take precautions,” the notice read


http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/755872

What took the CDC so long to issue an advisory and then the outbreak is considered contained and over?.. Malaria pot pie for you..mmm eat up.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Ebola outbreak in Uganda under control: health ministry

KAMPALA, May 25
(Xinhua) -- Uganda's health ministry said on Wednesday that the Ebola outbreak in the country is under control since there is no new confirmed case after the index case on May 6.
The ministry in a statement issued here said that since the first case, a 12-year-old girl who died on May 6, other suspected cases have turned out to be negative.
"The ministry assures the general public that the outbreak is under control as seen in the absence of new confirmed cases. The public is requested to report any suspected cases to the nearest health unit," the statement said.
The ministry said that a total of 21 people have been tested at the Uganda Virus Institute Entebbe and all proved negative.
It said that experts are continuing to monitor the 25 people who got in contact with the 12-year-old victim to see whether they will develop signs of the Ebola virus.
These contacts on Wednesday completed 18 days of follow-up and have three more days to be declared Ebola free.
The ministry said that other suspected cases reported in the western district of Kasese and the epicenter Luweero district located in central Uganda continue to be monitored.
Two isolation units have been set up in Luweero and another in Kasese.
Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding.
Mortality rates of Ebola fever are extremely high, with the human case-fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on viral subtype.
The last outbreak in Uganda was in late 2007 in the western district of Bundibugyo. It claimed 37 lives out of the 148 infected.

Ebola ‘under control’



















Written by Diana Nabiruma
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 17:20
On May 6, a 12-year-old girl from Luwero died of Ebola.
After her death, three individuals, with whom the girl had been in contact, were subjected to investigations to determine if they had caught the disease. But following investigations, the ministry of Health has declared these three individuals Ebola free. Regardless of this, the three are still under observation at Bombo Military Hospital.

However, by yesterday, the ministry was investigating two deaths in Bowa-Kibira and Namaliga in Luweero district. According to a ministry statement, two people died after suffering from high fever and unexplained bleeding. A burial team was sent to support the burial arrangements and avert any spread of the disease.

Also two soldiers, one from Amudat and the other from Mubende are in isolation at Bombo Military Hospital. They are suspected to have Ebola. Tests are yet to confirm the disease. As of May 23, the other people with whom the deceased got into contact were also still being monitored by ministry of Health officials.

This is in accordance with guidelines by the World Health Organisation (WHO). As of May 23, none of them had shown Ebola-like symptoms and after 21 days – starting May 6 – they will be declared Ebola free. If after 41 days no new Ebola cases are confirmed, the outbreak will be declared over.

While the disease seems to be swiftly under control this time as opposed to the previous outbreaks in Gulu and Bundibugyo, an isolation centre at Kiwoko Hospital in Nakaseke district has been set up to cater for any suspects.

Training of isolation unit staff, ambulance drivers and burial teams is also underway at Bombo Military Hospital. District and health officials have also been trained in matters concerning preventing the disease and dealing with it should it manifest. A statement from the National Task Force on Ebola says Shs 3.6 billion is required to combat the disease.

The World Health Organisation lists five distinct strains of the Ebola virus. These are Sudan, Zaire, Bundibugyo, Reston and Côte d’Ivoire. Of the five, Sudan and Zaire have been recorded to be most fatal, causing 25-90% deaths in people that get infected with them. The girl that died in Luwero suffered from the Sudan strain, according to information from the national task force.

The biggest Ebola epidemic in the world so far has been recorded in Gulu in 2000 and 2001, which affected 425 people, killing 224 of them. The ministry is trying to avert a repeat and is calling upon Ugandans to be on the alert. Symptoms of the virus include a high fever and headache, accompanied by bleeding from every body opening including the eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
The disease can kill its victims within three days.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Two new cases of Ebola reported in Uganda


  • May 24th, 2011 7:08 pm ET
  • Two soldiers are the newest cases of the deadly Ebola virus in the African nation, bringing the total to four since the outbreak began two weeks ago in a 12-year-old girl.
The Daily Monitor reports that one soldier was referred from Karita in Amudat District and another from Mubende District after presenting signs of the disease...

People warned against eating Monkeys and Bats

Posted by Maureen on 5/24/11

Following the Ebola outbreak in Uganda People are being warned against eating bats and monkeys.
The new finding have it that Bat and Monkeys have the Ebola disease which is spreading highly in the country side.
Ebola disease was initially for Monkeys and Bats but it has come to Human beings through physical contact with the infected animals and sometimes consuming them.
Monkey eaters are mainly found in the western part of Uganda and the Bakonjo tribe in Kasese are among the tribes which eat Monkey meat.
The ministry of health has said that in order to erase away the Ebola Epidermic people should stop eating monkeys.
Recently Ebola Re manifested in Luweero District and it claimed life of a 12 year old girl. The isolation unit has been put up in Bombo military hospital and so far it has 4 patients among them is an army officer from Katakwi

Uganda Red Cross assembles 250 volunteers for social mobilisation against Ebola


























Monday, 23 May 2011 02:17

The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has assembled a social mobilization and early reporting of suspected Ebola cases response team of 250 volunteers from the different villages in affected districts. These include, 50 Volunteers from Luwero the epi centre, 30 from Nakaseke, 30 from Nakasongola, 40 from Wakiso, 30 from Mukono, 20 from Bugiri and 50 from Kampala.



To avert the looming spread of the epidemic, the partners have since embarked on an aggressive sensitization and awareness campaign to contain the Ebola epidemic following confirmed reports of the disease in Luweero, Central Uganda. The deadly epidemic has so far killed 1 person and 2 suspected cases are in the isolation unit at Bombo Military Hospital. A team from World Health Organisation, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Uganda Red Cross Society and MSF is already on ground.


According to URCS Under Secretary General Programs and Projects Dr. Bildard Baguma the leading humanitarian agency is also focusing on improving early detection, reporting and referral of suspected cases of Ebola through active surveillance (Less than 50 percent case
fatality registered in the project areas). URCS interventions are targeting 865, 951 people.

In addition, the URCS will strengthen the coordination and local response by supporting long term epidemic risk reduction actions and
participating in the coordination and monitoring mechanisms.

The four agencies already on ground have conducted preliminary assessments and highlighted the main gaps that need to be addressed for the epidemic to be brought under control.

Neighboring districts of Luwero like Wasiko, Kayunga, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Kampala districts just along the high way to Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan are being monitored. According to Ministry of Health officials, 23 suspected contacts so far from the military hospital are under surveillance.

Initial assessment done have not yet identified the source of the outbreak, but the national task force has singled out six districts neighbouring Luwero for active case search, surveilance and social mobilization for the ebola outbreak.

Blood samples of the other cases admitted have been sent to referral laboratories in Entebbe by the Uganda Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) and more tests are being conducted to provide detailed information on the suspects.

Ebola Sudan, the type confirmed this time in Uganda is a highly contagious killer disease in the category of viral haemorrhagic fevers, with no known cure and with high fatality rate of up to 90% of people exposed to infection.












How Ebola is spread
It is spread through direct physical contact with body fluids of an infected person and consumption of animals carrying the virus. Uganda was last affected by Ebola in 2007 to 2008 in Bundibugyo where over 180 people were affected with 36 deaths including health workers. In 2000
and 2001 over 800 people were affected in Gulu and Masindi districts and more than 150 deaths were reported including health workers.


Coordination and partnerships

The Ministry of Health, URCS and other partners have conducted preliminary needs and capacity assessment in Luwero. The assessment has identified gaps as outlined below:

A national taskforce has been set up in Kampala coordinated by the Ministry of Health and similar tasks force has been formed in Luwero and surrounding districts. Experts from the WHO are already in Uganda working closely with the Ugandan MoH to contain the epidemic and more are on the way. The WHO is providing technical support to the Ministry of Health and is coordinating the international response.

An isolation unit has been established in Bombo military hospital equipped with protective tools provided by Centre for Disease Control (50 PPE Kits) to be used by those handling suspected Ebola cases.

Save the Children has rehabilited the isolation units in Bombo military hospital.

Two meetings so far have been organized and attended by partners to forge a way forward and the following action points have been agreed on:

Community mobilization and sensitization of the populations on the symptoms and preventive measures of
Ebola in the six districts of Luwero the epi centre, Kampala, Nakasongola, Wakiso, Mukono/Kayunga and Nakaseke to be conducted by URCS and other partners

Information, education and communication materials that are context-specific and produced in local languages;

Active community surveilance case search and referal of contacts in the community

Being a permanent member of social mobilization sub-committee of the National and district level epidemic task forces, URCS has been requested in these related activities in the Ebola operation.

CDC, in collaboration with Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) will continue to receive samples from the affected districts in Northern Uganda and will continue supporting the Government of Uganda in screening samples in response to outbreaks

WHO country office with the MOH are part of the response team supporting the Case management- including Drug and sundries Medical supplies for the treatment of Ebola cases; Personal Protective Equipments (PPE’s) for the health workers and people involved in the response case management, monitoring the trend of the disease, capacity building with experts in the field.

The Ministry of Health deployed technical officers to support case management, surveillance and referal activities in the affected districts

The NTF developed a response plan with a budget to respond to the current outbreak. The details of the activities in the plan will be provided by the different sub-committees

An alert to all the neighbouring countries about the current outbreak has been made by MOH

Additional support to the isolation units and provision of logistical support to the hospital is still being sought after.

The central management of all ebola related communication to the media by the national task force chairman; the director general haelth services from MoH Uganda.

Uganda Red Cross Society Actions
Uganda Red Cross Society Ebola action team has sofar:-

Mobilized 50 volunteers in URCS Luwero Branch the epi centre and 10 volunteers each from the other affected branches to be
trained in social mobilization and active case rearch in the community.

Actively participates in the national and district task force planning meetings for the Ebola response (a member of the
communications and social mobilization team) in Luwero and Kampala.


For further information on Red Cross actions
In Uganda: Michael Richard
Nataka, Secretary General Uganda Red Cross Society

Email:




natakam@redcrossug.org




This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it




,
Office phone: +256-776-312-001



Dr. Bildard Baguma, Under
Secretary General Programs and Operations, Uganda Red Cross Society

Email:




bbaguma@redcrossug.org




This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it




,
Office phone: +256-776-312-002




Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 May 2011 10:22

Two deaths in Luweero linked to Ebola



Wednesday, May 25 2011 at 00:00
Kampala

The Ministry of Health is investigating two deaths in Luweero District suspected to be caused by Ebola. Health workers in Kasese District are also investigating a patient who was described to have signs of the disease. The patient is currently admitted to Kagando Hospital in Kasese.

In a press statement yesterday, the Acting Director General of Health Services, Dr Dennis Lwamafa, said the two died after suffering high fever and unexplained bleeding. “Burial team was expeditiously sent to the sites to support the burial arrangements and avert any spread of the disease,” Dr Lwammafa said.

Campaign on Ebola
The Ministry of Health yesterday confirmed it will launch a national awareness campaign against Ebola. The decision comes 18 days after the country registered a third outbreak of the deadly disease in as many years. The Head of Department of Community Health, Dr Anthony Mbonye, yesterday said broadcast media has already rolled out the programmes through advert commercials, but they were still lobbying for money to the print messages.

Tullow Oil yesterday donated Shs75m to facilitate the government in containing the disease. The ministry learnt of the disease outbreak on May 5 after it was confirmed that a 12-year-old girl from Zirobwe Sub-county in Luweero had died of it. The girl, who was admitted with severe fever, bleeding, abdominal pains, died at Bombo Military Hospital.o deaths in Luweero linked to Ebola

Second Ebola victim dies



The deadly Ebola disease has killed two people so far following an outbreak announced last week in Nakisamata village, Zirobwe, in Luwero district. Though official reports from the Ministry of Health indicate two deaths and at least 25 traced cases, unofficial figures put the number of deaths at four so far.



LOSS: The victim’s family reacts to the news of Nakiguli’s death. (PHOTO BY PATRICK JARAMOGI)

The Sudan Ebola that struck the remote village in Luwero, killed 12-year- old Kate Nakiguli. The second victim was the Bombo Military Hospital mortuary attendant who, health experts say, had close contact with the first victim. Ministry of Health officials have however pointed out that he was diagnosed with malaria prior to his death.


Dr Monica Musenero, an epidemiologist attached to the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), pointed out that so far 25 listed contacts had been identified in Luwero district alone. “The new suspected case of an Ebola victim is that of a five-year-old boy from Nakisamata in Zirobwe, Luwero, where the first victim was reported. The suspect is currently under surveillance at the Bombo Military Hospital,” she said yesterday.


Musenero said four suspected cases had been detected in Luwero and Bugiri districts.
“Three contacts in Luwero have already developed symptoms. Two cumulative alert cases have been detected in Luwero and one in Kampala,”
she said.
The National Task Force situation report (Sitrep no 4)issued by the Ministry of Health stated that so far six inpatients were being monitored in Luwero, Kampala and Bugiri.


“No new alert cases, deaths or discharges have been reported by yesterday,” stated the report posted on the AFENET website.
The five-year-old Ebola suspect from Ngalonkalu had a two-day history of high grade fever associated with headache, vomiting, general body pains and bloody diarrhoea.


Four suspects
‘The patient has been isolated and a sample retrieved for laboratory investigations. There are four suspected cases admitted at Bombo Military Hospital, and they are responding well to treatment,’ said the report. Luwero District Health Officer Dr Joseph Okware said three of the four cases have tested negative for Ebola by PCR and ELISA antigen testing. He said three of the contacts to the ‘putative index’ patient had developed fever and two of them had been isolated.


Dr Musenero said there was no Ebola in Bugiri. “The Bugiri case was confirmed to be malaria and the young man is recovering,” she said.
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, generalised pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding. The Ministry of Health issued a statement yesterday urging locals to desist from eating game meat, which it described as ‘dangerous’ in this era of Ebola.

ebola case

Health experts call for calm as new Ebola cases are reported

May 24 2011 at 00:00


Kampala



Health officials yesterday called for calm even as Bombo general hospital is investigating two new suspected cases of Ebola. One soldier was referred from Karita in Amudat District and another from Mubende District after presenting signs of the disease. This brings to four, the number of Ebola cases since it’s outbreak about two weeks ago.



In a statement from the Ministry of Health yesterday, 25 people believed to have had body contact with the girl who died of the disease from Luweero District, are under surveillance. “After 21 days all the people who had contact with the dead person shall be confirmed not to have contracted the disease and after 41 days the ministry shall declare the outbreak over,” said Mr Anthony Mbonye, the Director General of Health Services.





The Assistant Commissioner Surveillance and Epidemiology, Mr Isaa Makumbi, said districts neighbouring Luweero which include Nakasongola, Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso are at high risk of the disease.
Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a severe and often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates caused by the Ebola virus...

3 SUSPECTED EBOLA PATIENTS TEST NEGATIVE





The country has been on alert for Ebola after a 12-year old girl died of the disease in Luwero district.


3 of the 25 people who got into contact with the victim had developed Ebola-like symptoms forcing the ministry to carry out the said tests.


A statement issued this morning by the Acting Director General of Health Services Dr. Deniss Lwamaffa indicates that the trio is currently admitted at Bombo military hospital and remains under close supervision.


Dr. Lwamaffa says the other suspect who had been reported in Bugiri district earlier was diagonised with malaria and is steadily improving.


He adds that the ministry has intensified surveillance in the various districts under alert.


The ministry of health continues to appeal to the public to report any suspected cases promptly to the nearest health centre. The latest update from the Ministry of Health indicates that the 3 people who were being investigated for ebola do not have the disease.


The country has been on alert for Ebola after a 12-year old girl died of the disease in Luwero district.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Ministry of Health warns against wild animal meat






Written by Catherine Ntabadde
Monday, 23 May 2011 02:17


The Ministry of Health has warned the public against eating wild animal meat as it works with partners like World Health Organisation, Uganda Red Cross Society, MSF to contain Ebola. The Ministry warns that eating wild animal meat may cause Ebola. The partners have since embarked on an aggressive sensitization and awareness campaign to contain the Ebola epidemic following confirmed reports of the disease in Luweero, Central Uganda. The deadly epidemic has so far killed 1 person and 2 suspected cases are in the isolation unit at Bombo Military Hospital. A team from World Health Organisation, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Uganda Red Cross Society and MSF is already on ground.


According to URCS Under Secretary General Programs and Projects Dr. Bildard Baguma the leading humanitarian agency is also focusing on improving early detection, reporting and referral of suspected cases of Ebola through active surveillance (Less than 50 percent case fatality registered in the project areas). URCS interventions are targeting 865, 951 people.


In addition, the URCS will strengthen the coordination and local response by supporting long term epidemic risk reduction actions and participating in the coordination and monitoring mechanisms.


The four agencies already on ground have conducted preliminary assessments and highlighted the main gaps that need to be addressed for the epidemic to be brought under control.


Neighboring districts of Luwero like Wasiko, Kayunga, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Kampala districts just along the high way to Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan are being monitored. According to Ministry of Health officials, 23 suspected contacts so far from the military hospital are under surveillance.


Initial assessment done have not yet identified the source of the outbreak, but the national task force has singled out six districts neighbouring Luwero for active case search, surveilance and social mobilization for the ebola outbreak.


Blood samples of the other cases admitted have been sent to referral laboratories in Entebbe by the Uganda Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) and more tests are being conducted to provide detailed information on the suspects. Ebola Sudan, the type confirmed this time in Uganda is a highly contagious killer disease in the category of viral haemorrhagic fevers, with no known cure and with high fatality rate of up to 90% of people exposed to infection...

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Ebola worry in central Uganda

Over 30 residents in Zirobwe sub county Luwero district have been grounded with the fear of spreading the deadly Ebola disease to other residents following one (1) death last week.



Doctors attending to an Ebola victim


A 12-year-old Ugandan girl died in a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in Zirobwe, 40 miles north of Kampala.


According to Dr. Paul Kagwa a health specialist, a combined team of health experts from different organizations and departments have moved to the area to do surveillance and treatment to the resident to avoid the disease from crossing boundaries.


He also cautions the general public to maintain high levels of hygiene, not to touch any person seen having likely symptoms among others.

Health Ministry dismisses Bugiri Ebola reports

The Ministry of Health has negated the report from the Bugiri district health authorities about the Ebola case that was reported in the district early this week.
An official from the Health Ministry, Dr. Denis Lamafa says that a group of experts who were sent to Bugiri Hospital carried out a test that has indicated that the suspect had malaria fever which was in the advanced stage.
Dr. Lamafa adds that other cases had been reported in Gomba district which have also been proved by Ebola experts not to be Ebola but malaria.
The Ministry of Health has set a special testing unit for Ebola suspects in Nakaseke district and the ministry urges the members of the public to immediately report suspected Ebola patients.

Govt asked to disinfect taxis

By Violet Nabatanzi

THE Government has been asked to disinfect all commuter taxis and buses from Luwero to Kampala in order to avoid the spread of Ebola.

The call was made by the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA) as a measure to contain the the disease.

The health ministry last week confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola fever in Luwero district.

The national chairman of UTODA, John Ndyomugyenyi, yesterday said passengers using the main terminal in Kampala were scared of the epidemic and sometimes shun those travelling from Luwero.

He further appealed to the health ministry to sensitise the public on the causes and symptoms of Ebola.

“Sensitisation needs to be carried out in schools and churches on the dangers of Ebola because most of the citizens are not aware of the disease,” Ndyomugyenyi said

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN UGANDA

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN UGANDA
National Task Force Situation Report (Sitrep No 4) as at 08.00 Hrs;
May 19th
2011

One new suspect case was reported in Bombo General Military Hospital in a 5
year old male from Ngalonkalu village, Zirobwe sub-county; she presented on
18TH May 2011, with two day history of high grade fever associated with head
ache, vomiting, general body pains, and bloody diarrhea. The patient has been
isolated and a sample retrieved for laboratory investigation.
• There are four suspect cases currently admitted in Bombo General Military
hospital and they are all reported to be improving on treatment. Three of them
have tested negative for Ebola by PCR and ELISA Antigen testing.

• Three of the contacts to the putative index patient developed a fever and two of
them are isolated while the third contact, a child with remote exposure was not
isolated since his fever had subsided following treatment with antimalarials. One
of the contacts (a health worker) that was earlier on reported to have travelled to
Kyengera was yesterday [18th May 2011] picked up from Kamuli in Kireka and has since been isolated. The two contacts among health workers have tested
negative for Ebola by PCR and ELISA antigen testing.

• The national rapid response team is on the way to Bugiri hospital to investigate
the suspect case reported there as well as support the hospital team to observe
the recommended infection control standards.

• The putative index patient was a 12 year old female from Nakisamata village,
Ngalonkalu Parish, Zirobwe sub-county, Luwero district who passed away on 6th
May 2011 following a febrile hemorrhagic illness that lasted six days. Laboratory
investigations done through both real time PCR testing and Antigen detection by
ELISA confirmed Sudan Ebola virus (SEBOV).
Contact Tracing

25 contacts were listed for monitoring in Luwero; 12 in Bombo General Military
Hospital; 3 in Kisakye clinic, Zirobwe Town; 9 in Nakisamata village, Zirobwe
sub-county; and 1 in Negulumye village, Wakiso district. There currently 22 of
them under follow-up since three contacts have since developed fever.


• All the 22 contacts were followed up yesterday (18th May 2011) and none of them
had developed fever or illness consistent with suspect Ebola.

• All the three contacts who developed fever previously have tested negative for
Ebola by PCR and ELISA antigen testing.
Specimen collection

• 11 blood samples have been obtained for Ebola testing.

• Only one 9% (1/11) sample has tested positive for Sudan Ebola virus (SEBOV)
through both real time PCR testing and Antigen detection by ELISA.

• All these samples have been tested at Uganda Virus Institute, Entebbe and
aliquots have been shipped to CDC Atlanta, USA.
Continued investigation (ecological)

• A team from CDC team arrived on 17th May 2011 from Atlanta and traveled to
the Ngalonkalu Parish (Nakisamatta village) on 18th May 2011. The team set up
their equipment and captured 61 bats. They processed the bats onsite and will
return today [19th May 2011] to trap more. The specimens will be processed at
UVRI and results are expected in the next few weeks.
Continued surveillance

• All the listed contacts are being monitored on a daily basis to ensure that they
are isolated as soon as they manifest with symptoms.

• All the districts on the contact pathway have been put on high alert

• Surveillance tools based on Ebola experience have been adapted and will be
distributed to all affected districts starting today [19th May 2011]. These are:
Case definitions, Case reporting forms and contact tracing sheets and follow up..
forms.

Ebola Now Invades Nakaseke- 2 New Cases

on 5/22/11

THE Ministry of Health has reported two more cases of Ebola in Nakaseke and Luwero districts.
Dr. Issa Makumbi, the assistant commissioner in charge of epidemiology and surveillance, yesterday told Saturday Vision that the ministry had intensified surveillance to ensure no case of Ebola goes undetected.
Before that, only one case had been confirmed since the outbreak of the disease last week in Luwero.
The two new patients are receiving intensive treatment at the ebola isolation unit.

Makumbi, a member of the special task force for Ebola, noted that the ministry had embarked on taking blood samples from the victims to further ascertain whether it was really Ebola.
He added that apart from a 12-year-old girl from Zirobwe sub-county in Luwero district, who died last week at Bombo Military Hospital, no more deaths have been reported. He said as the ministry was working around the clock to guard against further spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association has asked the Government to spray taxis coming from Luwero with disinfectant to avoid further spread of Ebola.
The transport body appealed to the ministry of health to sensitize the public on the causes and symptoms of Ebola disease.
The Ministry of Health last week confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola fever in Luwero, 60km from Kampala.

Recombinomics: Pneumonia and Influenza Death Toll In El Paso Increases To 83

Recombinomics Commentary 19:30
May 19, 2011
The week 19 Pneumonia and Influenza (P&I) deaths for El Paso, Texas increased to 15, which raised the total for the past 6 weeks to 83. Thus, in the past 6 weeks, record levels were reported for weeks 14, 15, 18 and 19. The prior record number of deaths for week 19 was 7 in 1997, so the 2011 level more than doubled the record for the past 15 years. The P&I death rate for these six weeks was 12.73%, which is more than 1.5 times the national epidemic threshold for the period.

These record numbers of deaths come at the end of the flu season, which officially ends at week 20. The number of lab confirmed H1N1 cases in the US has been declining steadily, consistent with the seasonal nature of influenza. However, the high number of deaths in El Paso supports the emergence of a new H1N1 sub-clade, as seen across the border in Chihuahua, Mexico, which caused WHO to issue a 2011 pandemic alert.

Moreover, and increase in P&I deaths has also been recorded for US Region III, which includes Delaware, where Tamiflu resistant H1N1 is transmitting, raising concerns that a more virulent H1N1 is emerging at the end of the 2010/2011 flu season.

The dramatic increase in P&I deaths in El Paso over the past 6 weeks has not been addressed by health agencies.

WHO Issues H1N1 Pandemic Alert Recombinomics Commentary

April 26, 2011
Since the beginning of 2011, in the region of the Americas, there have been significant outbreaks of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 that, while
geographically limited, have generated a significant demand on health
services.

There have been outbreaks in Ecuador (January 2011), Mexico and
Venezuela (March 2011). In the past 3 weeks, the Dominican Republic's
National Influenza Centre has detected an increase in the positive
samples of influenza A(H1N1) 2009. In the last month, other sporadic
detections have occurred in Cuba, Colombia, Honduras, Jamaica and El
Salvador.

It is recommended that all of the countries activate their National Preparedness Plans for the pandemic and follow the WHO and
PAHO recommendations.

The above comments come from the April 20 alert issued by the WHO Pan America Health Organization, which recommends activation of Pandemic Preparedness Plans due to the “significant demand on health services" in marked contrast to announcements two weeks ago claim no such demands.

This alert follows the rapid spread of H1N1 in Mexico and Venezuela. Sequences from Mexico have been released which have a high frequency of D225N, raising concerns that the number of severe and fatal cases will be higher than previous outbreaks.

Moreover, the precursor to this Chihuahua sub-clade was identified in Air Force dependents who had been vaccinated with California/07/2009 raising serious concerns regarding the effectiveness of this vaccine against the Chihuahua sub-clade, which has a new glycosylation site, S165N, as well as receptor binding domain changes, A189T, D225N, and D225G.

Anecdotal reports indicate this sub-clade is rapidly spreading in North and South America, including the countries listed in the alert and may also be responosble for the high level of pneumonia and influenza deaths in El Paso.

Release of sequences from sever and fatal cases in the countries listed above would be useful

Epidemiological Alert: On Probable Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 Outbreaks (Published on 20 April 2011)

Since the beginning of 2011, in the region of the Americas, there have been significant outbreaks of influenza A (H1N1) 2009, that while geographically limited, have generated a significant demand on health services. This situation is not unexpected. Since the end of the pandemic (2009-2010), the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus, continues to circulate on a global level like a seasonal strain, periodically causing important outbreaks in various continents. Considering the possibility of outbreaks occurring on account of the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus in the countries of the Region, national authorities should be prepared to mitigate the resulting impact.