Marburg: No new cases in Uganda

The ministry of Health has said there have been no new reported cases of the marburg fever since the first two cases in Kween district which led to two fatalities.

In a statement issued by Dr Henry Mwebesa, the acting director general, Health Services, the ministry said it had intensified its response within the affected districts of Kween and Kapchorwa as well as the rest of the Sebei sub-region.

"A multi-sectoral team of experts has been dispatched to the affected districts to enhance the response. Epidemiologists have been sent to conduct active case finding and tracing of people who have come into contact with confirmed cases across the Sebei sub-region. The epidemiological team is also mapping health facilities to determine which staff require training in surveillance, including following up and verifying possible case alerts, monitoring the movement of confirmed cases and mapping all places where cases and contacts with cases have been," the statement read in part

The statement read: "The ministry said cross-border engagements with the Kenyan authorities are also taking place to boost surveillance efforts. The multi-disciplinary team of experts will remain on ground in Kapchorwa, Kween and the neighbouring districts until the outbreak is fully contained."