Yellow fever kills 3 more in Masaka

Apr 14, 2016

“We have sent a team of experts to Bukakata to verify whether the causes of deaths is related to yellow fever,” he said.


Three people all residents of Bukakata in Masaka district have died of suspected yellow fever.

 The death toll has risen to 10 in a period of two weeks.

The Masaka District Health Officer, Stuart Musisi told the press that Ministry of Health, World Health Organizations (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control team has been deployed in the area to make further investigations into the causes of the deaths.

"We have sent a team of experts to Bukakata to verify whether the causes of deaths is related to yellow fever," he said.

 Dr. Musisi said some sources in Bukakata had informed the health authorities that the deceased persons had also died on Wednesday with symptoms related to the disease outbreak.

He said laboratory tests confirmed yellow fever as the cause of the death of the six people who died earlier in Buwunga sub-county

" The victims suffered multiple  infections  connected to Typhoid and yellow fever," he said.  

He also said a total of 13 suspected cases were initially reported in Masaka and that the most affected areas are those with  forests.        

The the victims were connected to charcoal burning activities.

 he asaka istrict ealth fficer r tuart usisi  addresses the press The Masaka District Health Officer, Dr. Stuart Musisi addresses the press.

 


 Dr Musisi said yellow fever outbreak is transmitted by mosquitoes which originate from the forests where there are monkeys.   

He said the mosquitoes bite during day time.

He warned the people operating in  Mazinga, Kasaka in Mukungwe and Buwunga , Bukakata sub-counties to be cautious.

Dr. Musisi said the deceased developed symptoms which include yellow eyes, severe abdominal pains, headache, and that they fail to respond to malaria treatment.  

He said the health team has opened an alert desk to receive information on the yellow fever outbreak.

The district has also set up a task force led by the Masaka RDC, CAO and heads of departments to support the fight against yellow fever.

 An official from Ministry of Health, Ahimbisibwe strongly advised the people in Masaka to sleep under mosquito nets.  He said the mosquito which spreads yellow fever comes from the forest jungles and spreads it from animals to humans or humans to humans.

Ahimbisibwe  also said the Ministry of health is organizing a mass vaccination campaign against yellow fever in Masaka region.

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