By Kenneth Wamatoyi
JINJA CITY
A suspected Ebola case has caused tension in Mafubira Zone B, Northern Division, Jinja City. A boda boda cyclist, who exhibited symptoms similar to Ebola, passed away after being rushed to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital on Sunday, February 9, 2025.
According to Jinja City Health Officer, Dr. Fredrick Isabirye, the deceased had been experiencing headaches and was taken to the hospital, where he unfortunately died on Sunday evening.
Notably, the deceased lived near two individuals who tested positive for Ebola last week in the same area. Dr. Isabirye confirmed that samples from the deceased have been taken for testing to determine the cause of death.
“We haven’t confirmed that this is an Ebola case. We have just taken action after the deceased exhibited Ebola symptoms,” said Dr. Isabirye, emphasizing that, “We had to manage the body carefully to ensure that if it is Ebola, other people may not get infected.”
The body has been treated and taken to the deceased’s home, where relatives have been advised not to touch the body. Dr. Isabirye said that the health team would handle the burial if the samples test positive for Ebola.
“We have sent the samples to Kampala for thorough examination, and relatives are not allowed to tamper with the deceased’s body. If we confirm that it is Ebola, we will handle the burial. If not, the family can proceed with the traditional burial,” added the Jinja City Health Officer.
Tension remains high in Jinja City, particularly in the Mafubira area, following the growing number of cases. On Monday, February 3, 2025, the Ministry of Health confirmed two cases of Ebola, while at least 25 suspects from Mafubira were taken to the National Quarantine Center in Kampala.
The Ebola outbreak in Uganda has taken a concerning turn. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of confirmed cases has risen to seven, up from just two a couple of days ago.
The outbreak began with a 32-year-old male nurse who developed symptoms on January 19 and died 10 days later, with tests confirming Ebola Sudan. The nurse’s wife and their son were the second confirmed cases, and so far, 298 contacts of the couple have been identified.
The WHO has reported two main clusters in the outbreak: a family cluster and a healthcare facility cluster. Unfortunately, the index patient had visited multiple healthcare facilities, including a traditional healer, before his death, which may have contributed to the spread of the virus.
Fortunately, the case-fatality rate (CFR) remains relatively low at 14.3%, with only the index patient having died so far. Health authorities are working to contain the outbreak, and the public is advised to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.
It’s worth noting that Uganda has experienced several Ebola outbreaks in the past, with the most recent one occurring in late 2022. The country has developed a robust response system, including laboratory testing, patient care, contact tracing, and vaccination efforts.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also issued a health alert, advising healthcare workers to be vigilant and take necessary precautions when treating patients with symptoms consistent with Ebola.
