The Ministry of Health has confirmed that 73 suspected cases have been reported in Bwera, Kasese district.
The Ministry’s acting Director General of Health Services, Henry Mwebesa in a statement said that there is an ongoing Cholera outbreak in Nyakiyumbu subcounty, Kasese District.
“A total of 73 suspected cases have so far been reported, 53 of whom have been discharged while 17 are still receiving treatment at Bwera Hospital. Unfortunately, three deaths have been registered,” said Mwebesa.
In order to avert further spread of the disease, an isolation ward has been set up at Bwera hospital, where all suspected cases are currently receiving treatment.
“The Ministry of Health has dispatched a consignment of medical supplies to Kasese district to beef up response efforts to contain the outbreak.”
Health workers have also been oriented and supported to follow up cases at household level, to avert further spread.
Mwebesa added that Cholera is a serious acute infectious disease characterized by watery diarrhea, vomiting and kills a person within hours.
It can be spread through eating and drinking foods contaminated with faeces of an infected person.
Other factors responsible for its spread include; poor personal hygiene, using contaminated water, poor sanitation as occurs in open defecation, eating food or drinks prepared under unhygienic conditions and poor personal hygiene especially not washing hands after visiting the latrines.
“As Uganda continues to experience heavy rains, similar incidents are bound to occur in different parts of the country.”
The rains are expected to cause massive flooding and washing away of pit-latrines, contamination of water sources, landslides, destruction of feeder roads, extensive erosion and mudslides, destruction of homes and food supplies at varying levels in the affected districts.
The incidence of infectious and communicable diseases such as Malaria, Cholera, Typhoid, Bilharzia and Dysentery will rise to outbreak levels in many districts.
