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AFRICA CDC OPTIMISTIC ABOUT UGANDA’S EBOLA OUTBREAK- AHMED OGWELL OUMA

AFRICA CDC OPTIMISTIC ABOUT UGANDA’S EBOLA OUTBREAK- AHMED OGWELL OUMA

By Goodluck Musinguzi

The Africa CDC’s acting Director, Ahmed Ogwell Ouma says Uganda has reached day 39 without recording any new case of ebola which shows the government’s excellent coordination of Ebola-containment measures. “The Ebola outbreak in Uganda is not getting out of hand … it is under control,” said Ahmed Ogwell Ouma

Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, while briefing the media said that if no new cases were reported in Uganda by Jan. 10 then the outbreak would be over. He praised the Ministry of Health and donors for working together with the Ugandan government to make sure ebola does not spread beyond its borders.

“Since the last brief (30 November 2022), no new confirmed cases and deaths of Sudan Ebolavirus
disease (SVD) were reported from Uganda. This is a 100% decrease in the number of new confirmed
cases and deaths reported compared to last brief”, said Africa CDC’s acting Director.

Cumulatively, 142 confirmed cases and 55 confirmed deaths (CFR: 38.7%) were reported from nine
health districts: Bunyangabu (1 cases; 0 deaths), Jinja (1; 1), Kagadi (1; 1), Kampala (18; 2), Kassanda
(49; 21), Kyegegwa (4; 1), Masaka (1; 1), Mubende (64; 281
), and Wakiso (3; 0).

The last confirmed case was reported on 27 November 2022; this makes ten days since the last reported
confirmed case. Six new recoveries have been reported since the last brief. Cumulatively, 871
recoveries have been registered. Healthcare workers account for 13.3% (19) of the cases and 12.7%
(7) of all deaths (CFR: 36.8%).

A total of 22 probable deaths were reported and are not included in the total count. These
include 21 probable deaths that occurred in Mubende (19) and Kassanda (2) districts prior to the
declaration of the outbreak. An additional probable death was identified from Kassanda district on 8
October 2022 and is also not included in the total case/death count.

The continental health body says the Ebola outbreak will be over if no new cases are reported in Uganda by January 10.

The Africa CDC says that Uganda’s Ebola outbreak is coming under control; it’s been 39 days since the last confirmed case was reported, and acting director Ahmed Ogwell Ouma has said that if no new cases are reported by Jan. 10, the outbreak would be over.

Officials first confirmed the outbreak in September and said it was the Sudan strain of the disease, for which there is no proven vaccine.

In December 2022, Uganda discharged its last known Ebola patient from hospital and President Yoweri Museveni lifted all Ebola-related movement restrictions, reflecting progress in curbing the spread of the virus.

Ouma praised Uganda’s excellent coordination of Ebola-containment measures, saying it had taken about 70 days to bring the outbreak under control with 142 confirmed cases and 55 deaths.

Vaccine trials against the Sudan strain of Ebola were continuing, he added.

African health authorities have made a concerted effort to boost their readiness to respond to Ebola following a devastating outbreak of the Zaire strain of the disease in West Africa in 2014-2016 that killed 11,300 people, mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Ebola causes vomiting, bleeding and diarrhoea and spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of the infected. The virus can sometimes linger in the eyes, central nervous system and bodily fluids of survivors and flare up years later.

The World Health Organisation says a country needs to pass 42 days – twice the maximum incubation period – after the last confirmed case for it to be declared Ebola-free.

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4 comments

  1. Great thanks to president M7and the ministry of health at large

  2. We also thank the front line workers

  3. I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.

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