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Nakasongola District Struggles As Mpox Cases Escalate

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According to the Nakasongola District Situational report dated October 7th, 2024, at least 21 Mpox cases have been confirmed since the first case was detected on September 9th, 2024.
Atleast nine people are admitted at isolation center at Nakasongola Health Center IV

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Authorities in Nakasongola district are struggling to contain and manage patients as cases of Mpox disease escalate. According to the Nakasongola District Situational report dated October 7th, 2024, at least 21 Mpox cases have been confirmed since the first case was detected on September 9th, 2024.

The report indicates that the Lwampanga town council has registered 13 cases whereas Lwampanga and Wabinyonyi sub-counties have registered three and two cases respectively. Other sub counties including Kalungi, Lwabiyata, and Nakasongola town councils have registered one case each.

The report further indicates that 11 people have recovered and been discharged. Nine are still admitted at the Nakasongola Health Center IV isolation facility and one at Entebbe Referral Hospital. The report says that five suspects have been isolated at Lwampanga Health Center 111 and four others are still in the community pending confirmation.

By gender, at least 11 confirmed cases are male and 10 are female.  The report also revealed that by occupation, nine are fishermen, five are commercial sex workers, three are business persons and two are primary pupils.  Others are a single case of a prison inmate and boda boda rider.

Dr. Agaba Byamukama, the Nakasongola District Health Officer explained together with partners, they have intensified contact tracing, adding that they have so far managed to follow up 67 out of the 84 people listed. He added that 16 laboratory personnel had been oriented on Mpox case sample management and activated their transport system.

However, Dr. Agaba said that the fight is still hampered by a lack of fuel to pick samples as well as patients from the community. Agaba also decried the lack of funds to feed patients isolated at Nakasongola Health Center IV and Lwampanga Health Center 111.

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Sam Kigula, the LC 5 Chairman of Nakasongola said the district is yet to receive funds since the outbreak was confirmed. Kigula added that the district has no budget for emergencies and is currently waiting for support from the Ministry of Health as well as its partners.

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Aggrey Winston Muramira, the Nakasongola Chief Administrative Officer said that health workers are yet to get Personal protective equipment among others in the fight against the disease. Muramira said that he has already sent a list of areas in which they need help from partners and the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Bernard Lubwama, a Senior Epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health said that Mpox is an infectious disease and for every 100 people that are infected, at least 10 can die. Lubwama said that the Ministry of Health and partners have deployed teams in Nakasongola to offer support to the District Task Force to contain the spread of the disease and ensure no deaths.

On Monday, the teams convened at Nakasongola Health Department to draw strategies and mobilize resources to fight the spread of the disease. Among the partners already on the ground are the World Health Organisation, Baylor Uganda, UNICEF, Makerere University Water Reed Project, and World Vision among others. According to the World Health Organization, the common symptoms of Mpox 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 with contaminated materials, infected persons, or animals. As of October 3rd, 2024, the Country had registered 58 cases of Mpox and Nakasongola is the most affected district.