Kikuube on high alert over Ebola, deploys health workers at entry points

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Kikuube district local government is on high alert over the recent Ebola outbreak in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). As a result, the district authorities have deployed health workers at border entry points for screening.

Ebola symptoms appear suddenly between 2 and 21 days after exposure. The illness begins with "dry" flu-like signs and progresses to severe gastrointestinal symptoms and potential internal or external bleeding.

At least three people are suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus in three districts within the Bunyoro sub-region.

The suspected victims are from the districts of Kikuube, Hoima and Masindi, and they are currently isolated at Hoima regional referral hospital, according to Kikuube district authorities.

 Since Kikuube is at the Uganda-DRC border and is part of Lake Albert, the district is at risk of receiving infected persons from DRC.  

As a result, the Kikuube district health department has put in place several measures that can help in containing the spread of the virus in case the district registers any cases.

The district disease surveillance officer, Geoffrey Barongo, told New Vision in a phone interview on Tuesday that they have one suspected victim from Kavule village in Kyangwali settlement camp in Kyangwali sub-county.

He noted that the suspected victim, together with two others from Masindi and Hoima are currently admitted at Hoima regional referral hospital, and their blood samples were taken to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe for tests.

Barongo said the district is currently screening all people entering it from DRC and those going out of the district crossing Lake Albert waters, so that they are not caught unaware.

“We have established two screening points; one is at Sebagolo point of entry in Kabwoya sub-county, and another at Nsonga point of entry in Kyangwali sub-county. These are only official entry points that bring Congolese into the district. Our health workers are screening any Congolese entering the district to avoid being caught unaware,” he said.

He added that they have also prepared three isolation centres, one at Sebagolo Health Centre III, another at Kikuube Health Centre IV and the third one in Kyangwali refugee settlement.

According to him, they engaged the village health teams to report any suspected case.

The authorities have also acquired protective gear and prepared health workers so that they can be able to handle the epidemic in case of an outbreak.

Kikuube district chief administrative officer Can. Edward Businge said they have revived the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid infection with the virus in case an infected person enters the district.

He noted that though the district has no confirmed case yet, it is at high risk of having infections because of the porous borders.

He called on the leaders along the shores of Lake Albert to sensitise the community to resume observing SOPs such as washing of hands, no hugging and avoiding gathering to avoid infection.

Uganda has officially confirmed two Ebola cases. Both cases were imported into Kampala from the ongoing outbreak in the neighbouring DRC, and both involved the rare Bundibugyo strain.