Another Mpox case confirmed in Entebbe

Another person has tested positive with Mpox disease in Entebbe, Wakiso District, the Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has confirmed.
 
“We have one case at Entebbe at our isolation facility. The other two cases [detected in Kasese district] improved. There was one where investigations were still going on and we are yet to receive information,” she said.
 
“The preventive measures are the same as Covid but for you to be aware that it can be sexually transmitted and the [skin] rashes start where the infection falls. So if it is sex it will start around that area and if it is droplet or contact, the face is usually much more affected and the hand,” she added.
 
Dr Aceng was addressing health officials on Thursday during the health sector performance review meeting in Kampala. Her remarks followed the recovery of patients who were detected in Kasese a few weeks ago.   
 
“We want you to be very vigilant in your area of work so that we put an end to this outbreak. We are all tired after Covid and nobody is so much interested in handling outbreaks now but also, resources are extremely limited,” she said.
 
Mpox has, for the second time, been declared by the World Health Organisation a public health emergency of international concern. The disease has also been declared by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) as a public health emergency of continental concern. 
“This is because it is affecting the African continent much more than others. But also be aware that the variant that we are battling with is more virulent –it spreads quite faster. There are two serotypes, I and II but the Ib is more virulent and that is what we have,” Dr Aceng added.
 
Mpox is a self-limiting viral disease which presents with small boils on the skin. It is also associated with high grade fever, swelling of lymph nodes, headache and general body weakness.
 
The viral disease transmission to humans is by contact with the infected animals. Among humans it spreads by direct contact with an infected person and sexual intercourse. Treatment is symptomatic depending on the complaint as there is no specific treatment for the virus.

 To prevent the infections, the Health Ministry is promoting measures which include avoiding physical contact with someone who has signs and symptoms of Mpox, avoiding sharing clothes, bedding and other personal items with infected persons, washing hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer after contact with a suspected Mpox case.