Wednesday , November 6 2024

Suspect Mpox patient in Nakasongola taken to isolation unit

Nakasongola, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A suspected Mpox patient in Nakasongola District has been put in an isolation facility.

The female patient aged 43 years was detected from a private clinic in Lwampanga town council where she had gone to seek treatment.

Dr. Agaba Byamukama,  the Nakasongola District Health officer explained that when the health workers detected symptoms related to Mpox, they immediately alerted the district surveillance team.

Agaba added that the team picked the blood samples from the patient and sent them to the Uganda Virus Research Institute for testing to confirm whether she was suffering from the Mpox disease or not .

The team also picked up the suspected patient and transferred her to the National Isolation facility at Entebbe for further management as they waited for the results.

“The immediate contact is under monitoring and our health surveillance team is also on alert to respond in case there is a confirmed outbreak in the district” Agaba said.

Last week, the Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng confirmed an outbreak of Mpox in the country and 10 cases have been registered so far. At least four patients have since recovered and six are still on treatment with no deaths.

Aceng said the cases were reported from Kasese, Kampala, Wakiso, Mayuge and Amuru.   She added that 49 contacts are also under close monitoring.

Mpox presents with symptoms such as fever, rash, blisters, and pustules, with severe cases leading to prolonged illness.

There is no cure for Mpox and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has allocated 2,000 doses to Uganda to vaccinate against the disease.

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