# 1310
There are few words that conjure up fear like `Ebola'.
While outbreaks of this disease (and it's close cousin Marburg) have been relatively few and always contained or self-limiting, the hemorrhagic presentation of the disease has become almost legendary. Books, movies, and TV shows have used it often to represent the worst possible pathogen, even though it isn't particularly easy to spread.
On Friday I reported on a new strain of Ebola, which has recently surfaced in Uganda. Details on exactly how this strain differs from the four previously identified strains are few, but we are getting new details on the impact of this outbreak.
The news accounts are one's of chaos. Reportedly either three or four health-care workers have been stricken, while others have fled for fear of contracting the illness. With an incubation period of between 2 and 21 days, this exodus unfortunately provides the virus an opportunity to be carried to other locations.
Details in this article posted by Niman on Flutrackers.
Ebola: Bundibugyo medics abandon patients
By John Thawite, Bizimungu
Kisakye and agencies
MEDICAL workers in Bundibugyo District have fled their workplaces in fear of contracting the deadly Ebola virus. Elias Byamungu, the Chief Administrative Officer, on Friday said medical workers had abandoned patients in health units, for fear of being infected.
“The health workers are terribly afraid,” he said. Byamungu put the death toll at 28. Health authorities, however, last night put the toll at 18, up from 16 registered by Thursday.
“We have had two more deaths in the last 24 hours and the disease continues to spread,” Dr. Sam Zaramba, the Director General of Health Services, told Reuters. He said World Health Organisation (WHO) officials had teamed up with local experts to draw up a strategy to contain the outbreak. More than 50 people are also infected.
District health officials said five new cases were admitted to Bundibugyo Hospital yesterday.
“We have set up isolation wards where all those who have been diagnosed with Ebola have been quarantined, and are being monitored closely,” Zaramba said.
The first victim died in August, but the cause of death was referred to as a ‘mysterious illness’.
Until Wednesday when the health ministry and the WHO confirmed it as being Ebola, the disease, which has ravaged 14 villages in the district, was being described as “mysterious” and “strange”.
Zaramba said the illness was confirmed as being Ebola following tests at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, US.
Speaking on phone, Byamungu said among the infected are three medical workers including a doctor, whom he identified only as Ssesanga, who he said was critically ill. He said the disease started in Kikyo Parish, Kasitu Sub-county and later spread to Ngamba Parish, Bundibugyo Town Council and Bubukwanga Sub-county.
The first death occurred after a group of residents of Kikyo feasted on a goat in August.
“There were accusations and counter-accusations of witchcraft. Some people were even arrested until we discovered that the problem was medical,” Byamungu said.
He expressed fear that the disease could be incubating in the neighbouring districts of Kabarole and Kasese, where infected people could have travelled.
Residents of Kabarole are in a state of panic, with many avoiding handshakes or being in crowed places. Taxi drivers plying the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo route said they were taking extra precautions. “We are not overloading our vehicles so as to reduce body contact among passengers. We also do not accept to transport visibly ill people,” said one driver.
Ebola is spread through contact with the body fluids of infected persons. This is the second major Ebola outbreak in Uganda. The last one occurred in 2000 in Bunyoro and in the north, killing over 140 people.
Published on: Saturday, 1st December, 2007
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