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HOIMA - More cases of measles have been reported in Hoima District as medics intensify vaccination as one of the measures to prevent its further spread.

On March 4, 2024, more cases were registered at Runga landing site in Kiganja sub-county bringing to 410, the total number of people affected by the disease since its outbreak was reported in the district two weeks ago.

The outbreak was first confirmed in four villages of Runga and Kavava in Kiganja sub-county and Tonya and Rwentale in Buseruka sub-county. The most affected are children aged between one and five years.

Hoima district health surveillance officer Fred Kugonza said on Thursday, March 7, that more cases are being registered at the landing sites.

Fredrick Byenuma, the Hoima district health inspector, attributes the new cases to overcrowding in areas where the virus has been reported, making it hard for them to mitigate the risk of transmission.

“Because of overcrowding in areas of management that’s why we are seeing an increase in the cases we are managing,” he said.

Byenume said that up to 2,930 people have now been vaccinated against the disease in the district, most of them children aged between one and 15 years.

He said that the district is currently running out of the measles vaccines as the cases surge, adding that they are also yet to receive the emergency vaccines order that was placed at the National Medical Stores.

He said that they have been compelled to place an emergency order with NMS for more vaccines to be availed.

“We have been compelled to put an emergency order at the NMS and we are still waiting for more vaccines to arrive,” he said.

Byenume has appealed to residents to avoid overcrowding in areas where the virus has been reported to mitigate the risk of transmission.

Additionally, he has urged local leaders and stakeholders to mobilise parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated, emphasising the importance of preventing further spread of the disease.   

Nazareth Kabagenyi, the Hoima acting district health officer, said today, that so far, 2,686 people have been vaccinated against the disease. They include children aged between one and fifteen years from the affected sub-counties.

John Kalvin a resident of Runga fish landing site said that recently, they lost two children who are suspected to have died of measles in the village.

“We suspect that some of the cases could be coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo because many people within our communities interface with the Congolese and recently, there has been an outbreak in Congo,” he said.

The history of measles outbreaks in Hoima underscores the seriousness of the situation, with previous outbreaks resulting in fatalities among children under the age of 10.