Nakasongola Mpox cases rise to 28

Cumulative confirmed Mpox cases in Nakasongola District have reached 28, accounting for more than half of Uganda's total since the first case was registered on July 24.

Surveillance and treatment teams in Nakasongola attribute the rise in cases to direct contact transmission, despite ongoing awareness campaigns targeting affected areas.

Dr Agaba Byamukama, the Nakasongola District Health Officer, emphasised that the disease primarily spreads through contact. "We are talking about 28 confirmed Mpox cases for Nakasongola District. I believe the disease spread will soon be put under control by the emergency response teams on ground. The mode of spread is by contact," Dr Byamukama said on Wednesday.

Nakasongola, now the Mpox epicentre, has seen a sharp increase in cases since the first one was reported on September 9 at Zengebe Landing Site in Lwampanga Town Council. Most confirmed cases involve fisherfolk and commercial sex workers. In response, the government and partners have established two isolation and treatment centers at Lwampanga Health Centre III and Nakasongola Health Centre IV.

Dr Annet Alenyo Ngabirano, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Uganda’s Case Management and Infection Prevention Officer, confirmed the establishment of a 24-bed unit at Lwampanga Health Centre III by the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Medical Teams.

"We currently have seven patients, including three children, three women, and one man, all responding to treatment. If symptomatic individuals remain in the community, the risk of spreading the disease will be high," Dr Ngabirano said on Tuesday.

Several organisations, including WHO, UNICEF, Baylor Uganda, and World Vision, are supporting the district’s efforts alongside epidemiologists and case management specialists.

Notably, the British High Commission in Kampala has announced £1 million in funding to bolster Uganda's Mpox response. This support, channelled through Baylor College of Medicine and the Infectious Disease Institute, will align with the Government of Uganda's Mpox response plan, focusing on improving coordination, surveillance, risk communication, and community engagement.

Mr Philip Smith, the acting British High Commissioner to Uganda, stressed the importance of collaboration saying it is critical to counter the outbreak.

Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng expressed her gratitude for the continued partnership with the UK.

"We acknowledge that our collaboration with the UK dates back several years. The UK has always been a key partner in our outbreak response. We appreciate the £1 million contribution through Baylor Uganda and the Infectious Disease Institute to help us respond efficiently to the Mpox outbreak," she said.

The support package builds on previous assistance the UK has provided Uganda. In 2022, the UK contributed £2.2 million (Shs9.3 billion) to the country's Ebola response. Between 2018 and 2020, the UK donated nearly £10 million (Shs40 billion) for Ebola preparedness, strengthening Uganda's ability to tackle the current outbreak. Ambulances purchased by the UK through the World Food Programme (WFP) and donated to the Uganda Red Cross are now being used to support Mpox efforts.

Meanwhile, Uganda Prisons has set up a separate Mpox isolation unit following a confirmed case at Nakasongola Prison.

Uganda Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine confirmed the creation of an isolation center at Bamunanika Prison in Luweero District to manage emergent cases and prevent the spread of the virus in the overcrowded Nakasongola facility.

"We registered one confirmed case at Nakasongola Prison. The patient has been transferred to Bamunanika for safe management. We are also monitoring Masindi Prisons, which has a large inmate population," Mr Baine said.

According to sources, 60 to 75 inmates from Nakasongola Prison were moved to Bamunanika for closer monitoring by health teams. Visits to Nakasongola Prison, which houses more than 1,500 inmates, have been banned to prevent further outbreaks. 

By Monday, health teams had traced 84 contacts, with 64 under follow-up. The majority of confirmed cases come from Lwampanga Town Council and Lwampanga Subcounty, which account for 95 percent of the district’s 28 cases.

Dr Byamukama confirmed 13 cases from Lwampanga Town Council, three from Lwampanga Subcounty, two from Wabinyonyi Subcounty, and one case each from Nakasongola Town Council and the subcounties of Kalungi, Lwabiyata, and Wabinyonyi. Three new cases were confirmed on Tuesday.

As of October 3, WHO reported 58 confirmed cases in Uganda. Nakasongola had 18 cases at that time, with additional cases later confirmed, bringing the total to 28 by yesterday.

Other affected districts include Kampala, Wakiso, Mayuge, Kasese, Mityana, and Nakaseke. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported, and the fatality rate remains at 0.0 percent. Mpox, a zoonotic disease caused by the Monkeypox virus, presents symptoms similar to smallpox. Dr Bernard Lubwama, a senior epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health, warned that the strain in Uganda can be deadly if not properly managed.

"We must take precautions and ensure anyone showing symptoms is evacuated to designated facilities," he said on Monday. However, there has been some resistance in affected communities. Ms Jamila Nakiyimba, the vice chairperson of Lwampanga Town Council, expressed concern over laxity at Zengebe Landing Site, a busy ferry route connecting Nakasongola to Amolatar District.

"Businesses have not set up hand-washing facilities, and people are not following precautions. We need a concerted effort to sensitize the public," she said.

Residents are also fearful of being quarantined. "People are scared to seek medical care because they fear being quarantined. We need to assure them of what happens at the treatment centres," Ms Judith Nakimbugwe, a businesswoman at Zengebe Landing Site, said. 

Mpox symptoms include skin rash, fever, genital ulcers, headaches, muscle pain, and sore throat.

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