South Sudan residents to be aleart of Ebola

The Ministry of Health Republic of South Sudan in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned the general public to be vigilant following reports of an Ebola outbreak in Uganda.

01 August 2012

Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) staff attend to an Ebola patient inside an isolation ward in Bundibugyo December 12, 2007 in this picture released by MSF on December 20, 2007. (Reuters/Claude Mahoudeau/MSF/Handout)

Ebola Alert Issued In  South Sudan


YEI, 01 August 2012 [Gurtong] – The Ministry’s statements states that the outbreak reports follow confirmation by laboratory investigations done at the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe confirming that the “Strange Disease” that was reported in the country since 6 July was Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
  “Although the mid western district is closer to the Democratic Republic of Congo than it is with South Sudan, all precautionary measures must be taken by the general public and all health workers in the country, more so those closer to the Ugandan boarder”, says the statement.
South Sudan and Uganda share a lot, in terms of population movements and trade. As a result people moving from one place to other could spread the disease.
A total of 36 cases with 14 deaths have been recorded in Uganda since July. Two of them are health workers.
The statement added that 16samples were taken from suspected cases; four have confirmed Ebola to be present in their biological specimen.
“Unfortunately one clinical officer who initially attended to a patient died. Forty contacts have been listed and currently by followed by health officials in Uganda. This calls for more vigilance from all health workers at the health facilities, and are also requested to wear personal protective gear at all times of examining patients presenting at the health facility and prevent an occurrences similar to what happened to deceased clinical officer. Universal Safety precautions should also be adhered to all the time”, reads the statement.
 The statement says that the Ministry of Health in South Sudan is working closely with all the state surveillance officers and health teams to enhance surveillance to ensure that all suspected cases are detected on time within the country, especially in the border states of Eastern Equatoria State, Central Equatoria State and Western Equatoria State.
Ebola is a highly infectious disease, which presents with high grade fever and bleeding tendencies. It is very infectious, kills in a short time but can easily be prevented.
The signs and symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, headache, measles‐like rash, red eyes and sometimes with bleeding from body openings.
Ebola can be spread through direct physical contact with body fluids like saliva, blood, stool, vomit, urine, vaginal secretions and sweat from an infected person and soiled linen used by a patient.
It can also be spread through using skin piercing instruments that have been used by an infected person.
 A person can get it by getting in touch with a dead body of a person who has died of the disease.
“The country will be informed further on any outcomes if any occurs”, concluded the statement