Ebola death toll goes up

By Charles Wendo The Ebola death toll yesterday rose to 33 after two more patients died in Lacor Hospital in the early morning, health ministry officials have said. Minister Dr. Cryspus Kiyonga yesterday declared a limited movement control affecting localities where cases of Ebola have been identified. The Director General of Health Services, Prof. Francis Omaswa, said a cumulative total of 63 people had come down with the disease by 8.00 a.m. yesterday. A source in Gulu last evening said there were an additional four patients including a woman who had wrapped herself in a blanket that belonged to an Ebola victim, two students of Lacor Major Seminary and another suspected case in Layibi. "There is a woman who went for a funeral and buried the person in her gomesi then used the blanket of the deceased to wrap herself. Now she is sick and the children are at a risk. We will have to burn the blanket," said the source. Kiyonga said the situation does not warrant wide-scale restrictions of movement of persons and goods in and out of Gulu or Uganda. However, movement out of the cells affected by Ebola would be restricted. He said, "For someone moving from here to Gulu, there is no problem. But moving within wards in Gulu, one should be careful." "In localities where cases have been identified, it is necessary to restrict movement in order to observe the residents for development of any symptoms that may suggest that they are being affected so that early intervention can be made," he said. Kiyonga who spent Friday in Gulu, said the movement control would also limit the spread of the deadly virus from the affected cells to others. The areas so far affected by the epidemic include Kabedo Opong, Kasubi and Lacor Hospital in Gulu Municipality and Rwot-obillo in Aswa county. While declaring the Ebola outbreak on Saturday, Kiyonga said it is spread by contact and not through air or insect bites. He said the ministry had drawn up an emergency plan to tame the epidemic. The plan includes the recruitment of health scouts in all 23 sub-counties of Gulu and equipping hospitals with medication and protective gear. It also includes formation of task forces that would meet daily. "The spread of this disease can be quickly restricted and stopped provided we all act appropriately," Kiyonga said. He said all people who show signs of high fever, body pains and bleeding should immediately be reported for treatment to increase the chances of survival. Anybody who dies should be buried immediately, he added. He also said whereas the haemorrhagic fever in Gulu is Ebola, the one recently reported in Congo was Marburg. Scientists believe wild animals such as rats, bats, monkeys and chimpanzees can harbour the virus. They warn that an epidemic could often be started by human contact with an infected wild animal.