Health authorities in Nakaseke District have urged the public to remain vigilant following the confirmation of the first M-pox case in the area. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health have dispatched a team of experts to Nakaseke district.
While addressing the media on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Dr. Simon Aliga, the District Health Officer, said that the case was identified in Makayi village, Semuto sub-county, from a patient identified during a medical camp that was part of the pre-event activities leading up to the grand celebrations of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s 80th birthday.
Dr. Aliga said that there is a need for active case finding, contact tracing, and community vigilance to contain the outbreak.
“We want to do some more active research and try to screen those persons that we have listed. And if possible, we want to take samples and see what measures we can put down there,” Dr. Aliga said.
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He added that the Village Health Teams (VHTs) and health assistants were engaged to reinforce hygiene practices, such as hand washing and wearing of masks, which were widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic but have since declined.
“We have urged the community to be very vigilant, and we know very well that M-pox is spread by contact to someone who has had the infection,” Dr. Aliga added.
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M-pox, which spreads from animals to humans through close contact with infected individuals, has raised concerns due to its recent resurgence in neighboring countries. As of September 2, 2024, Uganda had reported a total of 10 confirmed cases from five districts. Authorities have encouraged residents to report any suspected cases immediately.
