Updating the country on the status of Ebola Virus Disease, President Museveni said Kampala has registered the highest recovery rate of 83% (15/18 cases) while Mubende and Kassanda have the lowest recovery rates at 45% (29/64 cases) and 42% (20/48) respectively.
The president said to date, 141 people have contracted the virus in Uganda. Of these, 79 have recovered while 55 have succumbed to the disease. He said a total of six confirmed cases are still admitted and receiving treatment at both the Mubende (5) and Entebbe (1) Ebola Treatment Units.
Museveni explained the progress in containing the virus in Kampala was as a result of government’s quick decision to quarantine contacts and also get them early to hospital when they developed symptoms.
He said the opportunity for immediate quarantine of contacts was lost for Mubende and Kasanda, as the first probable case died on the 6th September.
“We got to know about Ebola in Mubende on the 20th September, by this time the disease had spread to many other subcounties as I have previously shown you,” Museveni said.
He noted the country has been responding to this outbreak for nearly two months and one week now (68 days), and it has registered success in managing it.
The president indicated that so far three districts have been retired from the follow up list having completed more than 42 days since the last case of Ebola was reported coupled with no further spread including Kagadi, Bunyangabu, and Kyegeggwa.
He said six distrcits including Mubende, Kassanda, Kampala, Wakiso, Jinja, and Masaka are still under follow up.
Additionally, he said there are districts with imported cases, plus or minus secondary transmission including Wakiso, Masaka, Jinja and Kampala.
Museveni however, said these districts continue to register progress in controlling the epidemic as observed by the number of days since the last confirmed case was registered.
“For example: Masaka has spent 24 days so far, with no secondary transmission, a success just like what we saw in Kagadi and Bunyangabo districts. Wakiso, Jinja and Kampala districts have spent (17), (11) and (09) days respectively since the last confirmed case,” he said.
Museveni added although Kampala and Wakiso are largely silent, government is still very cautious on the two districts because they are densely populated and a single outbreak can easily result to multiple infections.
“The epicenters of Mubende and Kassanda have also made good progress and a very commendable job in controlling the disease and the spread,” he added.
“However, recently one case was identified in Mubende on November 13th, 2022, after the district had gone 15 days without reporting a case. This is a 23-yearold female by medical student from the Eastern Division of Mubende municipality with a history of contact to an earlier case.”