Health authorities in Kapchorwa District have isolated a suspected Ebola patient at Kapchorwa Main Hospital after he presented with symptoms associated with the deadly viral disease. The suspected case involves a Senior Two student of Sebei College Tegeres who hails from Kwemo Parish in Chema Sub-county, Kapchorwa District.
The student reportedly developed symptoms while at school, including severe headache, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting blood, and bleeding from the nose, prompting the school administration to alert district health authorities. Siraji Masai, the Kapchorwa District Health Officer (DHO), said the student was picked from the school on Wednesday, June 3, after receiving reports from the administration and transferred to an isolation unit at Kapchorwa Main Hospital for further management and observation.
According to Masai, blood samples have been collected from the patient and submitted to the Central Emergency Surveillance and Response Support Laboratory in Wandegeya for confirmation testing. “We have picked the blood samples for testing for confirmation, so apparently it’s still a suspected case,” Masai said.
He appealed to the public to remain calm but vigilant as health officials continue investigations into the suspected case. Masai urged residents to observe public health guidelines, including avoiding direct contact with sick individuals and human remains, practicing regular hand hygiene, and promptly reporting any suspected symptoms to health authorities.
District health teams have also intensified surveillance and monitoring efforts as they await laboratory results to determine whether the patient has contracted Ebola Virus Disease. Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness that affects humans and other primates.
The disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of infected persons, contaminated surfaces and materials, the bodies of people who have died from Ebola, and infected animals such as bats and non-human primates. Uganda has experienced several Ebola outbreaks, prompting authorities to maintain surveillance systems and rapid response mechanisms to detect and contain suspected cases before they spread within communities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
