Thursday, January 31 2013 at 02:00\
The Ministry of Health has linked the strange disease that broke out in Mubende District to malaria.
Epidemiologists from the ministry were recently sent to the district to investigate the cause of the disease reported mainly in Kiryandongo Parish in Kisanda Village.
In an interview yesterday, the permanent secretary, Dr Asuman Lukwago, said the team led by the head of the epidemiological unit, Dr Issa Makumbi, had investigated most of the cases and chances of the Ebola haemorrhagic fever, and the Marburg virus had been ruled out.
“We discovered that the people are suffering from a complicated form of malaria. This was confirmed from the three people that have been tested so far. The biggest challenge was that people thought that the disease was as a result of witchcraft. So they would seek the services of traditional healers and in the process they were delayed. By the time they went to hospital, their condition was already worse,” Dr Lukwago said.
“The malaria outbreak was as a result of the heavy rains that were experienced in Mubende. These led to floods thus causing mosquito breeding. But the situation is under control because our team is doing surveillance.”
The disease, that broke out at the beginning of the month, has so far killed five people and more than 30 others are admitted.
The disease is said to cause heat around the chest and itching in the neck, and after a few hours, vomiting, bleeding through the nose and the mouth. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Mubende--strange-disease--linked-to-malaria/-/688334/1680072/-/dqay9pz/-/index.html
Dr Issa Makumbi, is head of Epidemiology and Surveillance at the ministry of Health. He may know something and they just got a new lab upgrade this summer..so we will see..they only have tested 3 people.
here is a snip about the lab..
26 JUNE 2012
.."Many zoonotic diseases are notoriously difficult to diagnose as they are often confused with other diseases; for example, where malaria is present, fevers owing to brucellosis may be misdiagnosed," he explains.
It response, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) renovated the viral haemorrhagic fever lab (VHF) in Entebbe.
The lab provides for rapid detection, surveillance and diagnosis of viral diseases associated with haemorrhagic fevers like Ebola and Marburg. The lab includes specialized diagnostic equipment for virus detection, rapid tests for characterization of viruses, a high containment area with secure and limited access and improved ventilation and air access systems...
Thursday, January 31 2013 at 02:00\
The Ministry of Health has linked the strange disease that broke out in Mubende District to malaria.
Epidemiologists from the ministry were recently sent to the district to investigate the cause of the disease reported mainly in Kiryandongo Parish in Kisanda Village.
In an interview yesterday, the permanent secretary, Dr Asuman Lukwago, said the team led by the head of the epidemiological unit, Dr Issa Makumbi, had investigated most of the cases and chances of the Ebola haemorrhagic fever, and the Marburg virus had been ruled out.
“We discovered that the people are suffering from a complicated form of malaria. This was confirmed from the three people that have been tested so far. The biggest challenge was that people thought that the disease was as a result of witchcraft. So they would seek the services of traditional healers and in the process they were delayed. By the time they went to hospital, their condition was already worse,” Dr Lukwago said.
“The malaria outbreak was as a result of the heavy rains that were experienced in Mubende. These led to floods thus causing mosquito breeding. But the situation is under control because our team is doing surveillance.”
The disease, that broke out at the beginning of the month, has so far killed five people and more than 30 others are admitted.
The disease is said to cause heat around the chest and itching in the neck, and after a few hours, vomiting, bleeding through the nose and the mouth. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Mubende--strange-disease--linked-to-malaria/-/688334/1680072/-/dqay9pz/-/index.html
The disease is said to cause heat around the chest and itching in the neck, and after a few hours, vomiting, bleeding through the nose and the mouth. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Mubende--strange-disease--linked-to-malaria/-/688334/1680072/-/dqay9pz/-/index.html
Dr Issa Makumbi, is head of Epidemiology and Surveillance at the ministry of Health. He may know something and they just got a new lab upgrade this summer..so we will see..they only have tested 3 people.
here is a snip about the lab..
26 JUNE 2012
.."Many zoonotic diseases are notoriously difficult to diagnose as they are often confused with other diseases; for example, where malaria is present, fevers owing to brucellosis may be misdiagnosed," he explains.
It response, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) renovated the viral haemorrhagic fever lab (VHF) in Entebbe.
The lab provides for rapid detection, surveillance and diagnosis of viral diseases associated with haemorrhagic fevers like Ebola and Marburg. The lab includes specialized diagnostic equipment for virus detection, rapid tests for characterization of viruses, a high containment area with secure and limited access and improved ventilation and air access systems...
