No Ebola cases at Mbarara Hospital, director confirms
MBARARACITY, February 7, 2025 – Dr Deus Twesigye, the Acting Hospital Director, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital [MRRH], has confirmed that there are no cases of Ebola at the facility, despite recent claims circulating on social media.
Addressing the ongoing rumours on Thursday, Dr Twesigye clarified that the hospital has not had any confirmed cases of Ebola, contrary to what had been reported on social media.
He explained that the hospital had admitted two patients with bloody diarrhoea, and samples from both patients were tested at the Uganda Virus Research Institute [UVRI] where tests for both patients came back negative for Ebola.
“Last weekend, we admitted two patients, a male Burundian from Nakivale Refugee Camp, who had bloody diarrhoea, and a girl from Kiruhura, who exhibited symptoms of fever, headache, and general body weakness. However, their tests for Ebola were negative,” Twesigye confirmed, adding that the girl was discharged on Tuesday.
Symptoms of Ebola
Dr Twesigye further explained that an Ebola patient typically experiences severe muscle pain, general body weakness, headache, chest pain, and bleeding from the nose, ears, and other orifices.
“It is at this stage that we suspect we might be dealing with a haemorrhagic viral fever,” he stated.
He assured the public that the hospital is well aware of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country, and has implemented special operating procedures [SOPs] to mitigate the risk of infection. These measures include regular hand washing and the use of gloves.
“We have provided hand washing facilities to ensure that people clean their hands before entering the hospital,” he noted.
Twesigye also shared that the hospital has a technical team of epidemiologists and public health consultants on the ground, with additional teams in nearby districts to raise awareness about Ebola symptoms.
“We want to ensure that this information reaches even the most remote areas so that everyone understands the gravity of the situation and the fatal nature of the disease,” he added.
To further reduce the risk of spreading the virus, the hospital has restricted the number of caretakers allowed with patients, reducing the number from three to one.
“In Ankole, it is common for a patient to come with three or four attendants, but given the current situation, we have decided to limit the number to one caretaker per patient,” Dr Twesigye explained.
Mpox cases at Mbarara Hospital
Meanwhile, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital has received a total of 88 suspected cases of monkeypox [Mpox] over the past three months. Of these, 70 patients have been treated and discharged.
“We’ve admitted 88 suspected cases of monkeypox to our isolation centre, and we are fortunate that no patients have died. Out of the 88 cases, 70 have recovered and returned home, leaving us with 18 patients currently admitted,” said Halson Kagure, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer.
He added that most of the Mpox patients have come from Katete Ward in Mbarara City, as well as Isingiro and Kashari districts. “Approximately 70 percent of the cases are from Mbarara City, with Katete Ward seeing the highest number. We have also had isolated cases from Kashari and Isingiro, particularly from Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee camps,” he said.
Kagure urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases promptly to ensure effective management and treatment.
https://thecooperator.news/uganda-announces-ebola-outbreak-as-one-confirmed-dead/
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