The Nakasongola District Task Force on Mpox disease has resolved to open two isolation centres to admit patients as the virus surges.
At least nine people have been diagnosed with Mpox virus in Nakasongola and the district carries the largest burden in the country. The number of confirmed Mpox cases in Uganda is now 41.
As a result, the Nakasongola District Task Force on Mpox disease has resolved to open up two isolation centres at Nakasongola Health Center IV and Lwampanga Health Center IV.
Aggrey Winston Muramira, the Nakasongola District Chief Administrative Officer said that Nakasongola Health Center IV has been designated to handle patients with severe illness. In contrast, Lwampanga HC 111 will handle patients only those with mild signs.
Muramira added that they decided to open up isolation at Lwampanga HC 111 because most Mpox cases have been reported from the nearby communities.
Muramira added that the district has also set up 17 health teams to respond and fight the spread of the virus.
He added that they have mobilized a fleet of ambulances to respond to any case anywhere in the district and rush the patient to an isolation centre for treatment.
On Tuesday the district also received a team of experts from the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Health and other partners who pledged to help in containing the spread of the disease.
“We can defeat this disease if the local people seek early treatment if they present with any signs. We also advise the residents to observe medical advice to wash hands or sanitize to avoid contracting the disease” Muramira said.
At the Nakasongola district headquarters, several hand washing points have been set up and additional sanitisers are provided per office to ensure every person who accesses it cleans him or herself before entry.
The district has also deployed a mobile van equipped with a public address system and video equipment to sensitize people about the outbreak and measures to prevent it.
Bruno Ssengombe the LCIII Chairperson of Lwampanga town council said the establishment of isolation near the affected communities is welcome but asked the Ministry of Health to equip it to handle the patients and avoid escape of those admitted there.
“The community has been sensitized and vigilant but every patient we get is still transferred to Nakasongola Health Center IV because the local isolation is not yet equipped,” Ssengombe said.
Lwampanga town is the hotspot of Mpox disease after the first cases were detected among fishing communities at Zengebe and Lwampanga landing sites.
Speaking at the Interdisciplinary Consortium for Epidermic Research Symposium in Kampala on Wednesday, Dr Atek Kagirita the Deputy Incident Commander for Mpox at the Ministry of Health said that Nakasongola is leading in the infections majorly due to fishing grounds and mobile population with a lot of night activities but they were working with partners to combat the outbreak.
Currently, at least five people are admitted at Nakasongola Health Center IV isolation centre after they were diagnosed with the disease.
Other cases were referred to Entebbe Referral Hospital before the district resolved to set up its isolation centres to manage the cases.
According to the World Health Organization, the common symptoms of m-pox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
According to the Ministry of Health, Nakasongola has nine Mpox cases followed by with Kampala and Wakiso with eight cases each. Others are Mayuge with five cases, Kasese with four cases and Isingiro with two cases. Other districts that include Nakaseke, Mukono, Kagadi, Amuru and Adjumani each have one case.
