Uganda must again deal with an outbreak of Ebola

THE WORLD | 11/19/2012 at 12:17

A month and a half ago after the last outbreak that has killed 17 people in western countries, the Uganda is again struck by the Ebola virus. The health minister, Christine Ondoa, announced Saturday, November 17, the identification of four cases, including three deaths. This disease caused by a virus results in a sudden rise in temperature, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney and liver failure and bleeding. The mortality rate can reach 90%.

The Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda border. No treatment and no vaccine exists to this day. The DRC is itself a focus of epidemic in the region of Kisangani. The end of October last bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 52 cases.

In Uganda, it has deployed personnel, as Doctors Without Borders also to investigate the epidemic alongside the Ugandan Ministry of Health. A special unit of isolation at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, and another Nyimbwa where is the epicenter of the epidemic, were activated to be able to accommodate in terms of security people who approached sick. Five people have been in contact with the deceased were placed under medical supervision.

 

CAREGIVERS OFTEN BEEN CONTAMINATED

The Ebola virus is transmitted by direct contact with secretions and fluids (blood, saliva, semen, excretions ...) of infected people. Caregivers or caretakers of funeral care for victims and often contaminated.

The virus itself has some animal reservoir bats feeding on fruits, which can conceal the Ebola virus without doing ill. They transmit by bite, especially primates (chimpanzees, gorillas) living in the rainforest.

However, a study by Canadian researchers, published on 15 November on the website of the journal Nature Scientific Reports , shows that airborne transmission is possible. Infected pigs housed and Ebola virus in their respiratory transmitted the infectious agent macaques without any direct contact with them.

THE COUNTRY IS ALSO AFFECTED BY VIRUS MARBURG

In Uganda, during the previous outbreak, the first victim was a girl of 3 months. Of the 65 people who attended his funeral, 15 have contracted Ebola.

The country is also affected, since early October, another type of hemorrhagic fever, this time due to the Marburg virus. This epidemic is located in the southwest of the country near the border with Rwanda . Eight deaths and nine cases confirmed by laboratory tests have been reported. 

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