Panic in Mitooma as Suspected Ebola Death Reported; Contact Disappears after Escaping Mubende Lockdown

There is panic among residents in the western Uganda district of Mitooma after a person died of what is believed to have been the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the deadly viral haemorrhagic disease whose outbreak was officially confirmed in the country last month after residents of Mubende reported a strange disease. 

Although locals in the district of Mubende had attributed the disease to witchcraft, it was later confirmed that it was Ebola Sudan strain after tests were done on samples collected from patients.

Since the confirmation of the outbreak in Mubende District last month, the disease has spread to four more districts. These are: Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Bunyangabu and Kagadi. More districts such as Isingiro and Mitooma have recorded suspected cases which are yet to be confirmed as surveillance teams are awaiting results from tests on samples of those thought to have Ebola. The suspected cases in Mitooma and Isingiro are linked to Mubende.

For Mitooma, a person who had presented signs and symptoms similar to those seen among Ebola patients died. He hailed from Kalangara Village in Bitereko Sub County, Ruhinda North Constituency. Mitooma District Health Officer Sadick Byamugisha identified the deceased as Silvano Nuwabaine, aged 36, who passed on at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital on October 19 morning.

The Mitooma District Taskforce has placed the Sub County of Bitereko under high alert, awaiting results from tests on a sample picked from the deceased.

The taskforce is also hunting for a person who is said to have returned to Kabira Sub County, also in Mitooma District, after escaping from Mubende District where President Museveni declared an Ebola lockdown at the weekend.

At least five people are said to have been placed under isolation after getting in contact with the deceased who is suspected to have succumbed to Ebola as well as the person who defied President Museveni’s directives to escape from Mubende and travel to Mitooma. Surveillance teams are expected to place more contacts under isolation as well as test scores who might have been exposed to the viral haemorrhagic disease.

A total of 23 people have succumbed to Ebola since the outbreak was confirmed in Mubende District last month. But the number of deaths could be higher since the disease is said to have been reported as early as August 2022 but locals had thought it was a strange disease and witchcraft. Those who have succumbed to Ebola include five health workers, with the latest being a hospital owner. (Read Story Here).

You can read about the 24 Ebola directives Museveni has issued for the districts of Mubende and Kassanda which are under lockdown HERE.