Ministry of health in conjunction with their Agriculture animal industry and fisheries has confirmed an outbreak of rift valley fever in the districts of Kiboga and Mityana.
In a statement released this morning, Dr. Charles Olaro the Director General health services at ministry of health says the announcement follows laboratory confirmations by the Uganda Virus research institute from two samples collected from the two aforementioned districts.
The confirmed person in Kiboga is a 26 year old male, a forest ranger from Gogonya village, Kibiga parish, Kibiga subcounty. He suffered from the fever starting Nov 14th for three days, and later bleeding tendencies from the mouth and the nose.
By the time he sought medical care, the victim died.
Meanwhile, the confirmed victim in Mityana is a 69 year old male farmer from Gombe-mwalo village, nama parish of busimbe division mityana municipality in mityana district. He developed the fever on 18 and was admitted to a health centre on 20th November. The victim was coughing blood. He died on 21st November.
Rift valley fever is a viral zoonotic disease that primarily affects animals but also has the capacity to infect humans. The majority of human infections result from direct or indirect contact with blood or organs of infected animals.
According to Dr. Olaro, the ministry of health with support from partners are undertaking a number of measures to control spread of the current outbreak including;
Treating the affected and suspect patients with supportive therapy, a national rapid response team was constituted and sent to support the district response structures.
Also, increased RVF surveillance by the district and ministry of health. The ministry has appealed to members of the public to only slaughter animals for consumption after seeking permission from an authorized veterinary officer, avoid consuming meat from animals (both domestic and wild) which have died of unknown causes, avoid direct contact with people infected with the disease, report and immediately take any suspected cases to a nearby health facility and always wash your hands with soap and water.
