Today
on behalf of the Ministry of Health, I take this opportunity to welcome
you all to this press briefing organized to update you on the outbreak
of Marburg in the country.
You
will recall that we declared an outbreak of this highly infectious
disease on October 19th and since then the Ministry of Health and its
partners have undertaken a number of interventions to control the spread
of the disease.
I
wish to inform you that cases are now reported in the neighbouring
districts of Ibanda and Mbarara. However, I want to assure you that the
Ministry of Health and its partners are on the ground in the mentioned
districts to contain the spread and manage the identified cases.
To
date, the death toll of both the probable and confirmed cases stands at
eight, with the latest being a case that died at the isolation facility
at Rushoroza Health Centre III on October 27th (Saturday). The case
that was referred from Ibanda Hospital – Ibanda to Mbarara Regional
Referral Hospital died on October 24th
I
wish to clarify that since the onset of the outbreak, we have collected
a total of 45 samples of which nine were confirmed positive; five in
Kabale, two in Kampala and two from Ibanda.
Working
closely with the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we
have set up a field diagnostic laboratory at Kabale Regional Referral
Hospital.
All
samples from the affected neighbouring districts will hence be taken to
this laboratory for quick diagnostics. This will shorten the time when
we get results to three hours from the original 24 hours due to
distance. Further serological testing will be undertaken at the Uganda
Virus Research Institute (UVRI).
Due
to the presence of cases in other districts, we have established
temporary isolation facilities to accommodate the suspected and
confirmed cases.
In
Ibanda, a temporary isolation ward has been created at Ibanda Hospital,
while plans are underway to set up a proper isolation facility by
tomorrow.
At
Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, a separate temporary has been
designated for the suspect Marburg cases. A triage has also been set up
at the causality ward.
We
have assembled a team of experts to work in the newly established
isolation facilities and they are expected in these districts today. We
also plan to undertake infection control procedures in these facilities
as safety measures for the workers and the admitted patients.
Today, the total number of cases admitted is 12. Eight are currently admitted at Rushoroza Health Center III in Kabale.
Two
confirmed cases, a couple (husband and wife) still remain admitted at
Mulago National Referral Hospital. Another two suspect cases are
currently admitted at Mayanja Memorial Hospital in Mbarara (Chimpreports
has established that these were nurses who got in contact with Marburg
patients.)
There
are seven suspect cases (student nurses) quarantined at Ibanda. These
cases attended to the confirmed case that later died at Mbarara Regional
Referral Hospital on October 24th. Other health workers who attended to
the patient are closely being monitored.
We
have line-listed a total of 436 contacts for close observation in four
districts of Kabale, Kampala, Ibanda, Mbarara, Fort Portal and
Rukungiri.
Those
being monitored got into contact with either the dead or confirmed
cases. The team continues to monitor them on a daily basis for possible
signs and symptoms of this highly infectious disease until they have
completed 21 days without showing any signs and symptoms.
We
have completed an orientation of the Kabale district taskforce on
Marburg case presentation and prevention, barrier nursing and infection
control. Plans are underway to conduct the orientation at Ibanda and at
Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.
We
have trained a total of 42 volunteers from the Uganda Red Cross Society
and deployed them to conduct house to house community sensitization and
active case tracing.
We
plan to set up burial committees in Ibanda district to manage burials
of people suspected to have died of the disease. The committee will be
oriented on burial procedures and infection prevention and control. This
is one of the control measures to curb the spread of the highly
contiguous disease.
The
Ministry of Health would also wish to clarify on media reports that one
of its officers, Dr. Sheila Ndyanabangi, the head of the Mental Health
Unit Division, had contracted Marburg and had been isolated.
Dr.
Ndyanabangi has not been isolated but has been advised to exercise
social distancing. She is one of the contacts who are being monitored.
She has not developed any signs or symptoms of the disease and therefore
cannot be isolated from the community. She is due to complete the 21
days of observation.
I once again urge the public to take the following measures to avert the spread of the disease.
· Report immediately any suspected patient to a nearby health unit
·
Avoid direct contact with body fluids of a person suspected to be
suffering from Marburg by using protective materials like gloves and
masks
· Persons who have died of Marburg must be handled with strong protective wear and buried immediately
· Avoid eating dead animals
· Avoid unnecessary public gathering especially in the affected district
· Burial of suspicious community deaths should be done under close supervision of well trained burial teams
· Report all suspicious deaths to a nearby health facility
Once
again the Ministry of Health calls upon the public to stay calm as all
possible measures are being undertaken to control the situation.
Hon. Dr. Christine Ondoa
Minister of Health
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