Nakaseke on high alert over confirmed Mpox case

Health officials in Nakaseke District have intensified surveillance measures following the confirmation of an Mpox case on Monday.

The patient, a 24-year-old man from Makaayi Village in Semuto Sub-county, is currently receiving treatment at the national Isolation Facility in Entebbe, according to the district health officer, Dr Simon Aliga.

“We have urged residents to stay vigilant as health teams trace and monitor individuals who may have come into contact with the patient. Measures are being implemented to curb the spread of the disease, including heightened surveillance and public health awareness campaigns,” reads part of a statement posted on the Nakaseke District website yesterday.

This confirmation brings the number of mpox (previously called monkeypox) cases in the Greater Luweero to two within two weeks. The other case involved a 43-year-old woman from Zengebe Village, Lwampanga Town Council, Nakasongola District, who was referred to the national isolation facility in Entebbe after showing symptoms of mpox earlier in September.

The Ministry of Health Senior Public Relations Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, yesterday said he needed more time to verify the Nakaseke case before providing official confirmation.

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“I don’t have the information about the Nakaseke case yet, but give me some time to verify and get back to you. I’m only aware of the Nakasongola case,” he said.

By press time, no further updates had been received from the Ministry of Health. However, Nakaseke District officials, including LC5 Chairperson Ignatius Kiwanuka Koomu, confirmed the case.

“I’m not a technical person, but I’ve heard about a confirmed mpox case in Nakaseke. The health teams are handling the matter,” Mr Koomu said briefly.

In Nakasongola District, health teams continue surveillance and public awareness efforts, particularly in Lwampanga Town Council.

“The health teams are doing their work, and we’re in touch with the Ministry of Health and WHO teams,” Dr Agaba Byamukama, the Nakasongola District health officer, said.

According to a WHO situation report, as of September 10, Uganda has recorded 11 confirmed mpox cases, with Kasese District reporting the highest number (four cases).

Other districts with confirmed cases include Mayuge (one), Kampala (two), Wakiso (one), Amuru (one), and Nakasongola (one). No fatalities have been reported since the mpox outbreak in Uganda in July 2024.

The viral disease, which was first reported in the country in July, spreads through physical contact and items touched by an infected person. The disease starts manifesting with fever, and body weakness followed by skin rash, blisters and pus-filled sores on the skin.