KAMPALA, UGANDA: Government is looking for about 300 people who are said to be contacts of the 15 Ebola cases confirmed in Greater Kampala, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyona, the Health ministry spokesperson, said Tuesday evening.
According to Mr Ainebyoona, the said contacts are being monitored at isolation centres in the Kampala Metropolitan area.
This comes exactly a day after the Director General of Health Services, Dr Henry Mwebesa, on Monday revealed that at least 15 people from Greater Kampala area, have tested positive for Ebola in a spate of less than a week.
Out of these, 11 are from Rubaga Division, one from Makindye Division, one from Nansana Municipality, and two from Seguku, Wakiso District.
Dr Mwebesa in a Tuesday press briefing further revealed that said the ministry is considering opening up more isolation centres in Kampala for contacts.
“We have also insisted that all contacts in Kampala are isolated. We are trying to identify more quarantine centres in Kampala. Any contact in Kampala will be isolated, we are not allowing any home isolation,” he said.
“So far, we have one isolation centre at Mulago National Referral Hospital with a capacity of 120 beds. More isolation centres will be opened at Old Mulago field. We are also discussing to agree where more isolation centres can be established,” he added.
Dr Mwebesa said those who suspect that they could be having Ebola should avoid interacting with the rest of the public or family members but instead seek guidance from health facilities.
“We find it a bit of careless when somebody is sick and rushes to hide at home. You are exposing your family to Ebola and you are putting them at a high risk. The first thing you should do is to avoid going home,” he said.
Seven of the 15 people infected with Ebola in Kampala Metropolitan are members of one family whose member came from Kassanda but later died of Ebola.
Dr Mwebesa also ruled out a possibility of an Ebola induced lockdown in Greater Kampala.
Meanwhile, the cumulative number of people infected with Ebola has increased from 90 to 95 cases as of yesterday.
According to Dr Mwebesa, all the new infections were registered in Mubende District.
***Monitor***
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