18 people suspected of having Crimean Congo Fever in Jinja have tested negative.
They were admitted at the isolation ward at Butagaya Health Center III following the death of a 32-year-old man who died in Wakiso at Entebbe General Hospital. The 18 were related to the deceased. Dr Pontiano Kaleeebu, the Executive Director of the UVRI says that they tested for all hemorrhagic fevers but the results were negative.
“We tested for Ebola, Marburg, Rift Valley and Crimean Congo but the results were all negative. ”Sr Esther Lumala, the Jinja District Surveillance focal person says they do not know what the patients were suffering from.
“We discharged all the 18 yesterday after the results came back negative. Initially, they were all admitted with diarrhea and we treated that. But we do not know what caused the fevers”, Lumala said. Sr Lumala also says the health officials are closely monitoring the discharged patients in Nakakulwe village, Butagaya Sub County. “We are on standby because we do not know what these people were suffering from. Our isolation ward is going to be left open and we also have an ambulance on standby in case we get other cases.
“Crimean Congo Fever is caused by an infection from a tick-borne virus. Some of its symptoms include; high fever, muscle aches, neck pains, neck stiffness, backache, headache, sore eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bleeding from body openings. For comments, call or text us on, 0704142939.
