Virus Institute warns of yellow fever outbreak
Jul 19, 2011
RESEARCHERS at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe have warned of a possible outbreak of yellow fever due to the encroachment on Ziika forest located around Kisubi on the shores of Lake Victoria in Wakiso district.
By Gladys Kalibbala
RESEARCHERS at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe have warned of a possible outbreak of yellow fever due to the encroachment on Ziika forest located around Kisubi on the shores of Lake Victoria in Wakiso district.
Researchers are concerned that people have encroached on the buffer zone which is supposed to be 300meters from the boundaries of the forest.
“They have instead put residential structures at the edge of the forest which is dangerous not only for their lives but the whole nation,†observed Dr. Josephine Birungi.
UVRI deputy director, Dr. Louis Mukwaya explains that the deadly mosquito ‘Aedes africanus’ known to transmit yellow fever from monkeys to human was first traced in Ziika forest in 1971.
Dr. Mukwaya however, accuses Wakiso district land Board for issuing land titles to the occupants.
He said UVRI will with immediate effect clear its boundaries and later advise the concerned authorities to evict those found in the buffer zone of 300metres.
“We immediately vaccinated the people around Kisubi that time and isolated the mosquito by keeping the public off the forest, “he said.
Mukwaya explained that the known ‘Aedes africanus’s behavior is to stay inside the forest but adds that once it bites someone there, the person may infect a large population.
“This may occur when the same person is again bitten by another type of mosquito known as ‘Aedes simpsoni’ (this one stays in the community),â€he explained. Since ‘Aedes simpsoni’ stays in the community it can easily transmit the fever to a number of people getting it from the first victim.
Mukwaya expressed worry that the encroachment may force the deadly mosquito to change its behavior and start feeding on human blood.
“Unfortunately between 10 to 20% of the people who get the disease will die so it’s important to avoid it,â€Dr. Birungi advised.
RESEARCHERS at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe have warned of a possible outbreak of yellow fever due to the encroachment on Ziika forest located around Kisubi on the shores of Lake Victoria in Wakiso district.
Researchers are concerned that people have encroached on the buffer zone which is supposed to be 300meters from the boundaries of the forest.
“They have instead put residential structures at the edge of the forest which is dangerous not only for their lives but the whole nation,†observed Dr. Josephine Birungi.
UVRI deputy director, Dr. Louis Mukwaya explains that the deadly mosquito ‘Aedes africanus’ known to transmit yellow fever from monkeys to human was first traced in Ziika forest in 1971.
Dr. Mukwaya however, accuses Wakiso district land Board for issuing land titles to the occupants.
He said UVRI will with immediate effect clear its boundaries and later advise the concerned authorities to evict those found in the buffer zone of 300metres.
“We immediately vaccinated the people around Kisubi that time and isolated the mosquito by keeping the public off the forest, “he said.
Mukwaya explained that the known ‘Aedes africanus’s behavior is to stay inside the forest but adds that once it bites someone there, the person may infect a large population.
“This may occur when the same person is again bitten by another type of mosquito known as ‘Aedes simpsoni’ (this one stays in the community),â€he explained. Since ‘Aedes simpsoni’ stays in the community it can easily transmit the fever to a number of people getting it from the first victim.
Mukwaya expressed worry that the encroachment may force the deadly mosquito to change its behavior and start feeding on human blood.
“Unfortunately between 10 to 20% of the people who get the disease will die so it’s important to avoid it,â€Dr. Birungi advised.