Strange disease kills five people in Ntungamo, seven hospitalised

Ms Florence Mbabazi, a victim of strange disease at Kitwe Health Centre IV in Ntungamo
Posted Thursday, August 2 2012 at 01:00

Five people in Kibutamo Village in Kitwe Town Council, Ntungamo District have died of a strange disease in the past two weeks and seven others are admitted at a health centre. Kenneth Kwoshaba 22, who was working as a security guard in Kamwenge, died on July 17. Benon Rumanzi, 45, a close neighbour, died three days later.

Faraziya Katayomba, 93, another resident of the village, died three days later. Jovance Katongana, 42, died last Saturday while Geoffrey Turyahebwa, 21, died on Sunday.

Mr Eliphaz Tayebwa, the area village vice chairperson, told visiting Ntungamo district health officials on Tuesday that the deceased were vomiting, had headache, fever, and were complaining of too much heat.

The Ntungamo District Health Officer, Dr Benon Bamuturaki, said they cannot rule out Ebola and have sent samples from the patients to the virus research centre at Entebbe to ascertain the disease. “We can’t say this is not Ebola before we carry out necessary tests. However, the symptoms of Ebola we know are different from these ones,” Dr Bamuturaki said.

Seven others were admitted to Kitwe Health Centre with similar symptoms. A special ward for the people suffering from the strange ailment has been created the health centre.

Dr Bamuturaki asked residents to avoid contact with the affected people. Meanwhile, Kanungu District leaders have asked residents to report any suspected Ebola cases to the concerned authority immediately.

Two people who died of Ebola in Kibaale District where the disease broke out recently, have been buried in Kanungu District. Robert Byomugabe, who had gone to visit his sick sister in Kibaale also got infected and died. He was buried in Kabimbiri, Kanungu on July 28. Mackline Kemitumba passed away in Kibale and her body was transported and buried in Nkunda Village in Nyanga Sub-county on Tuesday.

The LC5 chairperson, Ms Josephine Kasya, asked people should be careful in handling the dead, especially those who pass away from their homes. More than 30 Ebola cases have been registered in western region and Kampala since the hemorrhagic fever broke out in Kibaale District last week.http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Strange+disease+kills+five+people+in+Ntungamo/-/688334/1468858/-/13urrj0/-/index.html