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Uganda

Uganda: Ebola - National Task Force situation report

National Task Force Situation Report (Sitrep No 2) as at 17.00 Mrs; 6th December 2007. Seen and cleared by Dr. Sam Okware/Chairman/NTF & Dr Melville George, WR/Uganda/Co chair/NTF

1. Situation in the Field:

- To date there are 93 cases, 22 deaths (CFR of 24%) including 4 health workers

- There are 9 confirmed Ebola cases

- 5 sub-counties of Bundibugyo district are affected putting about 253,000 people at risk

- Epidemic is on the increase with epicenter (most affected ) is Bundibugyo Town Council

- There have been alert cases in Kasese, Mbarara & Kabarole districts

- Total current admissions in the isolation camps are 38 cases (15 in Kikyo HC IV and 23 in Bundibugyo Hospital)

2. Laboratory and Surveillance:

- Active listing, tracing and follow-up of contacts is on going involving Village Health Teams and Community Medicine Distributors.

- There are 327 contacts listed and being followed up. 175 are in Bundibugyo town council while 152 are in Kikyo Sub County

- Specimen collection and referral for confirmation is also being done

- CDC Atlanta Laboratory experts arrived yesterday to establish an Ebola Laboratory at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and also build capacity

- 28 specimens were collected yesterday.

- Patients and caretakers are to be provided with food within the isolation camps to minimize movement of people

3. Case Management and Infection Control:

- Isolation camp staff at Kikyo HC IV have been trained these include 6 Nurses, 2 cleaners, sprayers and 2 watchmen at Kikyo

- Patient triages systems have been established in Kikyo HC IV and Bundibugyo Hospital Out Patient Departments and staff trained

- Health workers given peer and social support and mentoring to maintain a functional Hospital /

- Burial teams trained and given practical demonstration on how to handle and burry the dead

- Attendants of the cases in the isolation camps were trained on minimum personal protection practices and provided with supplies

- The Isolation camp at Bundibugyo Hospital has been re-organised and expanded

- Training in barrier nursing is also ongoing

4. Coordination - Collaboration:

- The Acting Medical Superintendent of Bundibugyo Hospital is Dr Kaka-Amone who also the Assistant Commissioner of Health Services (clinical) I the Ministry of health. He arrived in the district yesterday .

- The operational plan for 60 days has been drawn up and will cost an estimated USD 1.5m

5. Logistics:

- Inventory of drugs, supplies including Personal Protection Equipments(PPEs) is being developed

- Participating agencies have provided some vehicles to support response

- Unicef has supplied two Emergency Health Kits to the district to cater for 10,000 people for 30 days

- WHO and MSF are bring logisticians to establish a logistics system

- Two stores are currently established by MSF for the EVHF supplies and drugs.

- There is urgent need for light/electricity at Kikyo HC and Bundibugyo hospital

6. Social mobilization, media and psycho social support:

- Social mobilization going on in the district using MoH film vans

- Radio messages have are running on 5 radio stations

- IEC materials i.e. fact sheets, brochures and posters in English and local languages have been printed and are to be distributed starting today

- Radio programmes have also been planned to start today targeting the affected area.

- Preparation for ecological study underway.

7. Travel advice:

- There is no travel restricts to the affected district as this disease is transmitted through direct contact with an Ebola patient or contact with body fluids from an infected person.