First read: Testing biological weapons on Ugandan Guinea pigs: Deadly Ebola virus breaks out in Luweero(Uganda)
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2011/05/testing-biological-weapons-on-ugandan.html
“We are following it up because monkeys are one of the disease carriers. The disease spreads from wild animals to humans. We have gone to the community and we are studying their water and firewood collecting habits,” he said.
They have always told us that Aids came from a monkey. They are also arguing that Ebola came from a monkey. See, how the New vision is fooling us that the young girl got Ebola from a Monkey in the article below. They are saying’’In Uganda, the first Ebola outbreak was in October 2000 in Gulu where 170 people died. In November 2007, another Ebola outbreak in Bundibugyo killed 37’’. How did the Gulu or Bundibugyo Monkeys infect the ones in Luweero.How comes we have not seen a forest in Africa where all Monkeys were decimated because of Ebola or where 40 monkeys were killed by Ebola or Aids????? These are the million dollar questions.
Luweero Ebola victim frequented forest
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/754951
Monday, 16th May, 2011
By Raymond Baguma
THE mother of the 12-year-old girl who died of Ebola has told health workers that she and her daughter used to go to the forest to cultivate the family gardens and gather firewood.
The mother is now among the group of people being monitored from their homes for symptoms of Ebola, according to the Luwero medical officer, Dr. Joseph Okware.
Other people who got into contact with the girl have also been advised to avoid sex, hosting visitors or visiting, mass gatherings and using public transport.
Okware declined to disclose the identities of the confined people and their physical addresses for ethical reasons.
He, however, said the village in Zirobwe sub-county where the deceased lived has over 40 homesteads.
Okware said a meeting would be held to discuss how the confined people will be supported. He also disclosed that medical follow-ups will be done from their homes.
“We have agreed that they are confined to their homes for the next 21 days,” he said.
Okware added that a quarantine would be imposed if more people showed signs of infection.
The commissioner for community health, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said experts investigating the source of the disease had taken the mother’s statement into account.
“We are following it up because monkeys are one of the disease carriers. The disease spreads from wild animals to humans. We have gone to the community and we are studying their water and firewood collecting habits,” he said.
He, however, said they had not reached a conclusion and did want to spread information that would alarm the community.
Mbonye also said the health ministry was working with public health experts, wildlife conservationists, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.
The virus reported in Luwero is known as Ebola-Sudan, which has a 50-60% fatality rate.
The disease presents with fever, joint and muscle pains, headache, dry throat, diarrhoea, rash, kidney failure, internal and external bleeding.
According to the WHO, about 1,850 cases and 1,200 deaths have occurred since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976.
In Uganda, the first Ebola outbreak was in October 2000 in Gulu where 170 people died. In November 2007, another Ebola outbreak in Bundibugyo killed 37.
Remember the AIDS and EBOLA viruses are part and parcel of United States Army biological weapons programme. Now see, connection to the Ugandan Military UPDF in the story below:
Bombo sets up Ebola isolation ward
Tuesday, 17th May, 2011
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/754999
By RAYMOND BAGUMA
A new suspected case of Ebola was yesterday reported in Bombo Military Hospital. Blood samples were removed from the patient and taken for further testing at the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe.
According to authorities at the hospital, the suspect identified as a 28-year-old male was admitted with symptoms similar to those of Ebola.
“He had a fever, blood in his urine and general body weakness. We have isolated him,” said an army Doctor, John Ssentamu.
An Ebola isolation ward is being constructed at Bombo Hospital to handle suspected cases of the disease.
According to Lt. Col. Dr. Godfrey Bwire from the UPDF directorate of medical services, the ward will be ready in three days.
Yesterday, teams from the health ministry, the World Health Organisation, the Spanish embassy, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Africa Field Epidemiology Network visited Nakisamata village in Zirobwe sub-county, where the first case was reported.
The commissioner for community health, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said a response plan had been designed in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Nakaseke and Nakasongola.
There was concern after a mortuary attendant at Bombo Hospital, who handled the corpse of the first Ebola victim, fell ill.
However, Bwire said medical tests had diagnosed malaria, which was being treated.
There were also fears after a one-and-a-half year old child from the home of the first Ebola case developed a fever. But tests later proved it to be malaria, according to the Luwero district medical officer, Dr. Joseph Okware.
Okware asked the Ministry of Health to provide protective equipment and sensitise medical workers how to identify Ebola cases and control infection.
‘FACTS’ ABOUT EBOLA
EBOLA FEVER
The Ebola is a disease caused by a virus and is characterized by: sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pains, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding. Note that sudden onset of fever associated with bleeding from the mouth, anus, and in urine are the defining features
Transmission: Normally found within the wild animals (especially monkeys) but can be transmitted to the human being who gets into contact with an infected animal. Once in the human being transmission is from person to person through direct contact with the blood, urine, vomit, stools, or other body fluids of infected persons.
Drivers of the epidemic:
•Burial ceremonies where mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can play a significant role in the transmission of Ebola.
•Health care workers have frequently been infected while treating Ebola patients, through close contact without correct infection control precautions
Incubation period: Two to 21 days
Diagnosis: Confirmation is by laboratory testing at the reference laboratory at the Uganda Virus research Institute.
Treatment and vaccine
There is no specific treatment or vaccine is yet available for Ebola. Urgently seek care from a qualified health facility where supportive care in form of intravenous fluids or oral re-hydration solutions, blood transfusions, and other necessary life support can be provided.
Recommended actions to contain the epidemic and the key actors
•Suspected cases should be isolated from other patients and strict barrier nursing techniques implemented (Health facility )
•Disinfection with JIK of the soiled clothing or bed linens from a patient with Ebola is required before handling these items (Health facility and Community).
•Strict surveillance- tracing and following up people who may have come in close contact with Ebola patients are essential (Ministry of Health).
•Hospital staff should be briefed on the nature of the disease and its transmission routes ( Ministry of Health)
•Communities affected by Ebola should make efforts to ensure that the population is well informed, both about the nature of the disease itself and about necessary outbreak containment measures, including burial of the deceased (Ministry of Health, Health facility staff, NGOs).
•People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried (Community).
Two more Ebola cases detected
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/755265
Friday, 20th May, 2011
By Henry Sekanjako
and Violet Nabatanzi
THE Ministry of Health has reported two more cases of Ebola in Nakaseke and Luwero districts.
Dr. Issa Makumbi, the assistant commissioner in charge of epidemiology and surveillance, yesterday told Saturday Vision that the ministry had intensified surveillance to ensure no case of Ebola goes undetected.
Before that, only one case had been confirmed since the outbreak of the disease last week in Luwero.
The two new patients are receiving intensive treatment at the ebola isolation unit.
Makumbi, a member of the special task force for Ebola, noted that the ministry had embarked on taking blood samples from the victims to further ascertain whether it was really Ebola.
He added that apart from a 12-year-old girl from Zirobwe sub-county in Luwero district, who died last week at Bombo Military Hospital, no more deaths have been reported. He said as the ministry was working around the clock to guard against further spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association has asked the Government to spray taxis coming from Luwero with disinfectant to avoid further spread of Ebola.
The transport body appealed to the ministry of health to sensitize the public on the causes and symptoms of Ebola disease.
The Ministry of Health last week confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Ebola fever in Luwero, 60km from Kampala.
