Uganda has defiantly insisted it has no active ebola infections despite its link to the first two cases in Kenya and Nigeria.
Kenya has reported nine cases in a chain linked to the first patient who travelled from DR Congo through Uganda, while Nigeria on Tuesday confirmed an infected woman who also recently passed through Uganda.
The two cases do not establish the patients contracted ebola in Uganda and investigations are still underway to determine their sources of infection.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health issued a statement on October 20, saying the Nigerian woman travelled through the country without symptoms and developed them after reaching Nigeria.
The ministry maintained that Uganda had no confirmed active ebola cases.
Uganda declared its ebola outbreak over on August 27 after going 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case, even as the outbreak continued to spread near its border in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The Ministry of Health has noted reports of a confirmed ebola case in Nigeria involving a Nigerian woman who travelled to Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo for business," Uganda’s director general of health services Prof Charles Olaro said.
"Preliminary information indicates that she transited through Uganda in early October without symptoms and developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria.”
He said the Nigerian government had not yet provided full details of the woman’s travel and medical history to guide further investigations.
“We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has NO confirmed active ebola cases. Additionally, limited provisions had been maintained for humanitarian and diplomatic movement,” Olaro said.
After Kenya reported the death of its first patient on October 6, Uganda’s Health ministry spokesperson Allan Ssempebwa Kyobe said authorities were investigating the Kenyan patient’s movements and urged the public to remain calm.
“I am confident that our teams are in charge and the same teams that have done a wonderful job protecting us against this epidemic will continue to do so,” he said.
When asked whether Ugandans had been quarantined in connection with the case, he said, “The authorities are going to carry out the necessary investigations, and maybe at a later time we will have information coming out.”
Kenya’s Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday reported the number of confirmed cases had risen to nine, including the first Uganda-linked patient who died.
“The ninth case, a 24-year-old man is also a close family member of the first case, was confirmed on October 19," director general for health Patrick Amoth said.
"He was isolated at the first sign of illness, tested and started on treatment immediately upon confirmation of his positive test result.”
“Our patients are improving and responding well to treatment. All eight patients are receiving appropriate supportive care from our dedicated clinical teams.”
He said 134 of 135 identified contacts had been traced and quarantined.
The first group of contacts who entered quarantine on October 6 and remained well would complete their 21-day monitoring period and begin returning home from October 25.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said the Nigerian woman developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in Nigeria, and sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11.
Her infection was confirmed by laboratory tests on October 20. Forty-four contacts had been identified and were being monitored.
“Investigations are ongoing to establish the likely source of her infection and reconstruct her full travel and exposure history. So far, the ministry reports that 44 contacts have been identified and are being monitored as efforts are intensified to find other people who may have been exposed,” WHO said in a statement.
WHO has urged countries in the region to remain prepared as the outbreak in the DR Congo continues. It advised against restricting travel to or trade with affected countries.
On Monday evening, the US State Department raised its travel advisory for Kenya from Level 2 to Level 3, asking Americans to reconsider travel.
The advisory considers several risks, including crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, traffic safety and health risks. It also refers to the ebola outbreak in Kenya and the DR Congo.
The US CDC, which focuses only on health risks to travellers, instead issued a Level 1 notice for Ebola in Kenya.
It advises Americans to take usual precautions, including avoiding contact with people showing symptoms of Ebola and their body fluids.
The Bundibugyo virus spreads through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, or with contaminated items such as clothing, bedding and medical equipment. Symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has urged anyone experiencing symptoms to report to the nearest health facility or call the toll-free number 719. It says there are no travel, trade or public gathering restrictions in Kenya.
