Cholera kills 22 in Hoima refugee camp
Feb 26, 2018
In order to contain the outbreak, the health ministry and partners have established cholera treatment centres at the Kyangwali and Kyaka II refugee settlements.
HEALTH
HOIMA - A cholera outbreak has claimed 22 lives in Kyangwali refugee settlement in Hoima district, the health ministry has said.
"As of February 22, 2018, a total of 535 suspected cases with 22 deaths had been reported from Kyangwali refugee settlement, with 360 people discharged," a statement issued by Dr Charles Olaro on behalf of the Director General of Health Services said.
The cholera outbreak was reported in two refugee settlements in Hoima and Kyegegwa districts.
According to health ministry investigations, refugees from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contracted the infection from their places of origin and along the way to Uganda.
Results from the Central Public Health Laboratories indicated that a total of five cases were confirmed in the refugee settlements of Kyangwali in Hoima district and Kyaka II in Kyegegwa district.
Most of the deaths occurred along the way or in the community. In Kyaka II, 23 suspected cases are being followed up.
In order to contain the outbreak, the health ministry and partners have established cholera treatment centres at the Kyangwali and Kyaka II refugee settlements, screening of all refugees at entry points for early detection of cholera cases and close follow-up of contacts to identify sick ones in the two affected refugee settlements.
Other interventions include: promotion of sanitation, hygiene and use of safe water in the refugee settlements, intensified community awareness among refugee populations and additional medical supplies from National Medical Stores have been dispatched to the affected refugee camps.
Cholera is a serious acute infectious disease characterised by watery diarrhoea, vomiting and kills a person within a few hours.
It can be spread through eating and drinking foods contaminated with faeces of an infected person.
Other factors responsible for its spread include; poor personal hygiene especially not washing hands after visiting the latrines, using contaminated water, poor sanitation as occurs in open defecation, eating food prepared under unhygienic conditions, and drinking contaminated water.
HOIMA - A cholera outbreak has claimed 22 lives in Kyangwali refugee settlement in Hoima district, the health ministry has said.
"As of February 22, 2018, a total of 535 suspected cases with 22 deaths had been reported from Kyangwali refugee settlement, with 360 people discharged," a statement issued by Dr Charles Olaro on behalf of the Director General of Health Services said.
The cholera outbreak was reported in two refugee settlements in Hoima and Kyegegwa districts.
According to health ministry investigations, refugees from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contracted the infection from their places of origin and along the way to Uganda.
Results from the Central Public Health Laboratories indicated that a total of five cases were confirmed in the refugee settlements of Kyangwali in Hoima district and Kyaka II in Kyegegwa district.
Most of the deaths occurred along the way or in the community. In Kyaka II, 23 suspected cases are being followed up.
In order to contain the outbreak, the health ministry and partners have established cholera treatment centres at the Kyangwali and Kyaka II refugee settlements, screening of all refugees at entry points for early detection of cholera cases and close follow-up of contacts to identify sick ones in the two affected refugee settlements.
Other interventions include: promotion of sanitation, hygiene and use of safe water in the refugee settlements, intensified community awareness among refugee populations and additional medical supplies from National Medical Stores have been dispatched to the affected refugee camps.
Cholera is a serious acute infectious disease characterised by watery diarrhoea, vomiting and kills a person within a few hours.
It can be spread through eating and drinking foods contaminated with faeces of an infected person.
Other factors responsible for its spread include; poor personal hygiene especially not washing hands after visiting the latrines, using contaminated water, poor sanitation as occurs in open defecation, eating food prepared under unhygienic conditions, and drinking contaminated water.