Sunday, October 19, 2025
15.1 C
Srinagar

UN health agency confirms first case of deadly Ebola in Uganda

United Nations, :  The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health, confirmed the first case of the deadly Ebola virus in Uganda, stemming from the nearly year-long current outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Despite numerous previous alerts in Uganda, this is the first instance in which the virus has been identified outside DRC during what has become the worst-ever outbreak in its history.
A five-year-old Congolese boy travelled across the Ugandan border on Sunday, through the Bwera Border post. While seeking medical care at Kagando hospital, health workers identified Ebola as a possible cause of his illness.
The child was transferred to Bwera Ebola Treatment Unit, where the Uganda Virus Institute confirmed the case on Tuesday. The child is currently receiving treatment and his contacts are being monitored.
WHO and the Ugandan Ministry of Health have dispatched a Rapid Response Team to the town of Kasese, close to the DRC border, to identify other people, who may be at risk, and ensure they are monitored and provided with care if they also become ill.
In preparing for the possibility of an imported case, Uganda has vaccinated nearly 4,700 health workers in 165 health facilities; intensified disease monitoring; and trained health workers to recognise symptoms of the disease.
In response to this case, the Ministry is intensifying community education, psychosocial support and injections for un-vaccinated at-risk health workers and those, who may have been exposed to the young patient.
The Ebola virus disease is a severe illness that is spread through contact with the body fluids – such as vomit, faeces or blood – of an infected person. First symptoms are like other diseases and require the vigilance of health and community workers, especially to help diagnose in transmission areas.
People, who have been in contact with an Ebola-infected person are offered inoculations and asked to monitor their health for 21 days.
The vaccine used in DRC and by frontline workers in Uganda has, so far, been effective in protecting people from the disease. It also raises the survival odds for those who do develop the virus.
While there are no confirmed cases in any other parts of the country, the Health Ministry is setting up units in the affected district and at referral hospitals to handle patients, if necessary.
UNI.

 

Hot this week

J&K Bank’s half-yearly net profit up at Rs 979 Cr, Q2 net at Rs 494 Cr

Despite tough challenges, we are on track to achieve...

CWC Anantnag directs deletion of minor’s video circulated on social media

Anantnag: The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Anantnag has taken...

Devyani Rana, accompanied by thousands of supporters, files nomination for Nagrota bypoll

Jammu: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Devyani Rana on...

Govt to crackdown on artificial coloring in apples: Minister Javed Dar

Baramulla:Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj,...

All options open for by-polls: Tariq Karra

Srinagar:Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra on Saturday...

Topics

J&K Bank’s half-yearly net profit up at Rs 979 Cr, Q2 net at Rs 494 Cr

Despite tough challenges, we are on track to achieve...

CWC Anantnag directs deletion of minor’s video circulated on social media

Anantnag: The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Anantnag has taken...

Devyani Rana, accompanied by thousands of supporters, files nomination for Nagrota bypoll

Jammu: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Devyani Rana on...

Govt to crackdown on artificial coloring in apples: Minister Javed Dar

Baramulla:Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj,...

All options open for by-polls: Tariq Karra

Srinagar:Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra on Saturday...

Dangal actor Zaira Wasim gets married, shares post with husband

Srinagar: There are moments when silence speaks louder than...

Postal ballot sent for detained MLA Mehraj Malik, Govt informs High Court

Srinagar, Oct 18: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img