By Emmanuel Olinga
KATAKWI
Katakwi district has reported an outbreak of measles, with three children admitted to Katakwi General Hospital last week declared dead.
According to reports from the health department and Katakwi general hospital, three children admitted and isolated at Katakwi’s measles ward died as a result of the disease.
Speaking on Sunday during Soroti Catholic Communications Day held at St’ Stephen Catholic Parish, Geoffrey Omolo, LCV chairperson of Katakwi district, revealed that Katakwi is one of two districts in Teso that the ministry of health has identified as having a measles outbreak, while four sub counties of Getom, Katakwi, Usuk, and Guyaguya have been identified as having the disease.
Measles virus (genus Morbillivirus) causes measles. It’s an airborne disease, which means it spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes or talks. The airborne droplets can remain in a room for two hours even after the person with measles is gone. Droplets can also land on surfaces you touch.
Katakwi inhabitants have been urged to support government programs by embracing routine immunizations in order to combat the looming pandemic that threatens people’s health and well-being.
Omolo, on the other hand, warns communities and religious denominations who are opposed to routine immunization of children, emphasizing that it is one of the causes of such epidemics and that it is detrimental to the children’s well-being.
Globally, about 400 children and approximately 280 babies die every day from measles;
It causes a widespread rash and flu-like symptoms. But measles isn’t just a rash. It can make you severely ill and lead to life-threatening complications like brain inflammation and pneumonia. It can also make you more likely to get sick with other infections.
Before it was part of routine childhood immunizations, measles caused millions of deaths around the world, nevertheless, Omolo says the ministry of health has already engaged in urgent intervention against the outbreak.
