'Ebola outbreak under control'
THE Ministry of Health has said the Ebola outbreak in the country is under control. The head of the Ebola national task force, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said there has been no confirmed case since May 6 when the index case was reported.
By Violet Nabatanzi and Raymond Baguma
THE Ministry of Health has said the Ebola outbreak in the country is under control. The head of the Ebola national task force, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said there has been no confirmed case since May 6 when the index case was reported.
“The ministry assures the general public that the outbreak is under control as seen in the absence of new confirmed cases. The public is requested to report any suspected cases to the nearest health unit,†he said.
The ministry said that a total of 21 people have been tested at the Uganda Virus Institute in Entebbe and all prove negative. Mbonye said in a statement that experts were monitoring the 25 people who got in contact with the first victim.
“These contacts on Wednesday completed 18 days of follow up and have three more days to be declared Ebola free,†he said.
Yesterday, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel warning advising US travellers to Uganda to take precaution following the outbreak.
“CDC advises that US citizens residing and travelling to Uganda should be aware of the disease situation and should take precautions,†the notice read.
The precautions include avoiding contact with blood or other body fluids from people with severe illness, especially with those whose cause of the disease is unknown.
CDC said Ebola was a serious but rare disease, adding that the risk to travellers was extremely low, unless they were involved in caring for people with the disease.
THE Ministry of Health has said the Ebola outbreak in the country is under control. The head of the Ebola national task force, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said there has been no confirmed case since May 6 when the index case was reported.
“The ministry assures the general public that the outbreak is under control as seen in the absence of new confirmed cases. The public is requested to report any suspected cases to the nearest health unit,†he said.
The ministry said that a total of 21 people have been tested at the Uganda Virus Institute in Entebbe and all prove negative. Mbonye said in a statement that experts were monitoring the 25 people who got in contact with the first victim.
“These contacts on Wednesday completed 18 days of follow up and have three more days to be declared Ebola free,†he said.
Yesterday, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel warning advising US travellers to Uganda to take precaution following the outbreak.
“CDC advises that US citizens residing and travelling to Uganda should be aware of the disease situation and should take precautions,†the notice read.
The precautions include avoiding contact with blood or other body fluids from people with severe illness, especially with those whose cause of the disease is unknown.
CDC said Ebola was a serious but rare disease, adding that the risk to travellers was extremely low, unless they were involved in caring for people with the disease.