KAMPALA, Sept 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — Uganda’s Ministry of Health said it has launched several interventions to contain a Cholera outbreak that has killed two people and 241 cases registered in the last three months.
In a statement, the ministry said it is working with local governments and development partners in the western districts of Isingiro, Kisoro, Kyegegwa and Busia, Bududa in eastern region to avert further spread of the outbreak, as the second major rain season starts for the next three months.
The ministry said the interventions include intensified health education for hygiene improvement, promotion of use safe water and construction of latrines, establishment of cholera treatment centers and targeted oral cholera vaccination.
The others include conducting active search to identify cases at home, provide additional medicines to replenish the stocks already used, strengthening coordination to monitor progress on outbreak control measures and investigating all outbreaks to identify the risky factors.
“The public is further urged to be vigilant and report any suspected Cholera cases and other strange deaths to the nearest health facility,” said the ministry.
Cholera, according to the ministry, is a serious acute infectious disease characterized by watery diarrhea and vomiting and kills a person within hours.
It spreads by means of eating and drinking food contaminated with fecal matter of an infected person.
The ministry warned that there is a likely increase of the disease risk factors from the onset of the second rainy season from September to November. — NNN-XINHUA
