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Published Date: 2012-08-02 20:47:24
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (08): (NT) susp. cases
Archive Number: 20120802.1226459

EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - UGANDA (08): (NTUNGAMO) SUSPECTED CASES
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Date: Thu 2 Aug 2012
Source: The Monitor [edited]
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Strange+disease+kills+five+people+in+Ntungamo/-/688334/1468858/-/13urrj0/-/index.html

Strange disease kills 5 people in Ntungamo, 7 hospitalised
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A total of 5 people in Kibutamo Village in Kitwe Town Council, Ntungamo District have died of a strange disease in the past 2 weeks and 7 others are admitted at a health centre. A 22-year-old, who was working as a security guard in Kamwenge, died on 17 Jul 2012; and a A 45-year-old close neighbour died 3 days later. A 93-year-old, another resident of the village, died 3 days later. A 42-year-old died last Saturday [28 Jul 2012] while a 21-year-old, died on Sunday.

Mr Eliphaz Tayebwa, the area village vice-chairperson, told visiting Ntungamo district health officials on Tuesday that the deceased were vomiting, had headache, fever, and were complaining of too much heat [fever]. The Ntungamo District Health Officer, Dr Benon Bamuturaki, said they cannot rule out Ebola and have sent samples from the patients to the Virus Research Centre at Entebbe to ascertain the [cause of the] disease.

"We can't say this is not Ebola before we carry out necessary tests. However, the symptoms of Ebola we know are different from these ones," Dr Bamuturaki said. 7 others were admitted to Kitwe Health Centre with similar symptoms. A special ward for the people suffering from the strange ailment has been created the health centre. Dr Bamuturaki asked residents to avoid contact with the affected people. Meanwhile, Kanungu District leaders have asked residents to report any suspected Ebola cases to the concerned authority immediately.

So far, 2 people who died of Ebola in Kibaale District where the disease broke out recently, have been buried in Kanungu District. A man, who had gone to visit his sick sister in Kibaale also got infected and died. He was buried in Kabimbiri, Kanungu on 28 Jul 2012. A woman passed away in Kibale and her body was transported and buried in Nkunda Village in Nyanga Sub-county on Tuesday.

The LC5 chairperson, Ms Josephine Kasya, asked people should be careful in handling the dead, especially those who pass away from their homes. More than 30 Ebola cases have been registered in western region and Kampala since the hemorrhagic fever broke out in Kibaale District last week.

[Byline: Peter Rumanzi and Arans Mark]

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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Ntungamo District is a district in Western Uganda. Like most Ugandan districts, it named after its 'chief town,' Ntungamo, the location of the district headquarters. Ntungamo District is bordered to the north, from west to east by Mitooma District, Sheema District and Mbarara District. Isingiro District lies to the east, the Republic of Rwanda to the south, Kabale District to the southwest and Rukungiri District to the northwest.

The proximity of Mtungamo District to the location of the confirmed outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Uganda is the principal reason for considering a diagnosis of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in these patients. The results of analysis of patient samples at the Entebbe Virus Research Centre s awaited.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1wa6. - Mod.CP]

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