KAMPALA – Government has banned public gatherings in Kasese District following an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Western district bordering DR Congo where 100s have succumbed to the disease, Emmanuel Ainebyona, a health ministry spokesman confirmed to media
The Health ministry announced an Ebola alert on Tuesday evening after a five year boy from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) tested positive for Ebola shortly after crossing into Kasese District. He died hours later followed by his grandmother later in the day at Ebola Treatment Unit at Bwera Hospital in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha town council.
However three Ebola patients have escaped from the Isolation centre in Kanungu where they had been put for close monitoring in Kihihi town council in in western Uganda. The Patients have been identified as Saddi Muhima, 46, his son Issa Muhima, 19 and Milton Nsenga, all from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The three were admitted in isolation when they presented with Ebola like symptoms shortly after arriving at Munyaga border crossing in Western ward in Butogota town council in Kanungu District from DRC on Wednesday morning.
The trio presented with high temperatures, one of the signs of the haemorrhagic fever forcing Ebola surveillance officials to rush them to Kihihi health Centre IV for monitoring. However, the Kanungu Health Inspector, Kato Besisira, says the trio escaped as the health workers were preparing to draw blood samples from them and rush them to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Entebbe for examination.
They are suspected to have crossed back to DRC using the porous borders. Besisira says the escape of the trio has triggered panic in the district.