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A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Mon 29 Nov 2310
Source: AllAfrica, The New Vision (Uganda) report [edited]
Uganda: strange disease spreads to Kitgum
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The mysterious disease affecting Agago and Abim districts has
reportedly spread to Kitgum. The [Ugandan] Health Ministry yesterday
[28 Nov 2010] said the disease had not been identified yet, but
medical officers had been giving people "supportive treatment". Dr
Issa Makumbi, the Ministry's head of disease surveillance, said the
Entebbe-based Centre for Disease Control was today [29 Nov 2010]
expected to release results from samples received last week.
In the middle of this month [November 2010], Ministry officials,
quoting preliminary laboratory results, identified the disease as
amoebic dysentery. Yesterday [28 Nov 2010], the ministry put the
death toll in Kitgum at 5. But Sr Grace Ogwang, the Kitgum district
disease surveillance officer, said 8 people died of the disease in
Kitgum. This brings the death toll in the 3 districts to 36. The
disease has also reportedly spread to Pader.
The Kitgum victims included a mechanic who was hurriedly buried at
the Kitgum Hospital cemetery on [Sun 28 Nov 2010] under the strict
supervision of medical personnel from the World Health Organisation.
Ogwang said [the deceased] had travelled to Wol in Agago district a
week before his death. He is suspected to have contracted the disease
there. Ogwang warned people against getting into contact with the
bodies of victims and to avoid handshakes, communal handwashing, and
sharing of food.
[Byline: Anne Mugisa, David Labeja]
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Communicated by:
Thomas James Allen
[Since the previous press report from the region, the outbreak of
this unidentified disease has spread to include Kitgum and the
overall death toll has in creased from 32 to 36. 8 of the fatalities
have occurred in Kitgum. No further information is available yet
regarding the nature of the disease, other than that initially
amoebic dysentery was suspected, rather than any form of haemorrhagic
disease as rumoured previously. A precise diagnosis is awaited.
The districts of Kitgum, Abim, and Agago in the Northern Region of
Uganda can be located on the map at
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda can be accessed at
[see also:
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda: Acholi, RFI I20101129.4297]
...................................cp/mj/dk
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