Blog 4 Ebola in Uganda

         Ebola is severe and often fatal disease in humans and primates. The disease is caused by infection with Ebola virus, which is named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The outbreak was believed to have started in late June.  Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe, often-fatal disease in humans and nonhumans that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976. Researchers believe that the virus is zoonotic (animal borne), and it has no carrier state. People can be exposed to Ebola virus from direct contact with the blood and/or secretions of an infected person.

                The ministry of health said 17 people have died from the ebola disease including a clinical officer in Kibale district. While five patients were cured, they stated that over 400 patients who came in contact with ebola and were admitted and monitored have been discharged. The ministry assured the public that the country is safe for all people including foreigners intending to travel in and out of the country. Uganda will be free on October 4^th 2012 of Ebola, if no one gets infected. However the ministry cautions that the country continues to monitor the situation to ensure that is no risk of yet another outbreak. The ministry reassures the public that everything is under control to ensure that the outbreak is finally contained and declared over in the near future.

                I have very mixed feelings to towards this, something of this nature I should have heard of when it was starting to occur in June, after looking through many websites I come across this article. I found out that its coming to an end. However I did read that often the disease Ebola is nosocomial mainly due to the lack of sterilization of needles. Many times they do no use disposable needles when injecting medicine, and just barely rinse off the needle causing it to become contaminated with the virus. Reading about this has caused me to really appreciate the precautions they take in the medical field.

 

9/21/2012
3:46pm

Alexa Florencio-Picazo
Mosaic LLC.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/Fact_Sheets/Ebola_Fact_Booklet.pdf
http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/635315-ebola-virus-no-longer-a-threat-ministry.html
http://www.ugpulse.com/uganda-news/health/uganda-writes-to-saudi-arabia-about-ebola-outbreak/27337.aspx