Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (02): (ME), NOT, RFI

Date: Sun 23 Aug 2009 [the delay in posting is regretted - ProMED]
Source: The New Vision (Uganda) [edited]
<http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/692236>


Tests rule out Ebola [hemorrhagic fever] in Mbale
-------------------------------------------------
Blood samples of the patient admitted to Mbale Hospital suspected of
having Ebola hemorrhagic fever have been found free of the virus, the
Uganda Virus Research Institute has reported [see ProMED-mail post
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda: (ME), susp. 20090821.2962].

The Ministry of Health spokesperson, Paul Kagwa, yesterday [22 Aug
2009] said the Ministry was investigating other possible diseases the
patient, whose name has been withheld, might have. "He is still in the
hospital and he cannot be released until investigations are complete,"
Kagwa said.

The man was admitted last week [week of 17 Aug 2009] after he was
referred from Tororo Hospital with suspected Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
He bled from the mouth, nose, ears and passed blood in his stool and
urine, which are all symptoms of hemorrhagic fever.

On Friday [21 Aug 2009], the director of clinical services, Dr Kenya
Mugisha, said not all bleeding is caused by ebolaviruses. A medical
team was dispatched to Mbale to help handle the situation, Dr Mugisha
said. He added that the patient was in a stable condition. The
patient's relatives said he was first treated for malaria in Sudan,
where he worked as a casual laborer at a construction site.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever has a high death rate. The only way to stop or
contain it is through prevention, rapid diagnosis, and isolation of
suspected cases. The last outbreak of the disease [in Uganda] was
reported in Bundibugyo in 2007 [see ProMED archives listed below]. The
disease killed 16 people out of the 51 cases that were reported. In
2000, an ebolavirus outbreak in Gulu claimed 173 people of the 428 who
were infected.

[Byline: Anne Mugisa, Raymond Baguma)