Uganda confirms new Ebola case as 9 year old girl dies

Uganda reported another case of Ebola disease on August 29, 2019, as 9-year-old girl from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo died from the virus.

The child crossed the border between Uganda and Congo with her mother on August 28, 2019, in hopes of finding medical assistance. The victim was screened at the Mpondwe border post and was moved to the Bwera Ebola unit of a local clinic where she received necessary health care. Both have no identified relatives or contacts in Uganda.

Yusuf Baseka, health director in Kasese, stated that the girl passed on at around 8 in the morning. She reportedly showed symptoms including body weakness, rash, high fever, and unexplained mouth bleeding.

The girl's body will be repatriated for burial, Kasindi Ebola representative Eddy Kasenda said.

Congo holds the record of the largest recorded cases of Ebola outbreak, with 2 006 deaths and 3 004 affected. Moreover, it is the first outbreak in a conflict zone and had also infected residents in North Kivu, Ituri, South Kivu, bordering Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi. At least 1 800 died in Congo in a year-long Ebola outbreak.

Uganda recorded three cases of Ebola virus in mid-June. Since August 1, 2018, Uganda has examined over 6 000 cases after the outbreak was confirmed in Congo. 50 rapid response teams have been prepared while around 7 575 health teams in the village have undergone training to detect Ebola and conduct control measures. Furthermore, Ebola treatment wards were extended from 10 units to 13.

Featured image credit: CDC Global