14-year-old succumbs to strange disease in Mubende 

HEALTH ALERT

A 14 year old boy in Mubende district succumbed to a strange disease on Thursday, following a severe headache and vomiting.

According to a press release from ministry of health, 16 suspected similar cases have been reported, with eight deaths within Kibalinga sub-county in Mubende.

"Seven samples were picked for analysis at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and five patients were isolated in Mubende hospital. Their condition is stable," reads the press release.

Samples sent to the laboratory have all tested negative for the known viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, rift valley fever, Crimean hemorrhagic fever, Marburg and yellow fever. 

National Health Laboratory Services also tested blood, carried out stool culture, urine analysis and other rapid tests like Malaria and hepatitis B, which have all turned out negative.

Consequently, the ministry of health will send some samples to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention collaborating laboratory in Atlanta, USA.

Nonetheless, the ministry has taken a number of measures to control the spread of the disease such as dispatching a surveillance team to conduct search for cases and follow them up.

What is more, an isolation facility has been established in Mubende regional referral hospital for close monitoring of suspected cases, while two ambulances have been set aside to pick patients from the community. Community sensitisation is also taking place.