Uganda: Cholera outbreak in Kampala

The Uganda Ministry of Health received a report of four suspected cholera cases on Jan. 5 who had been seen at Kirudu hospital with· diarrhea and vomiting, which had started on 4th January 2019.

These suspected cholera cases were from Kabowa parish, Rubaga division. The health workers in Kirudu hospital immediately suspected cholera and gave them appropriate medical care.

Subsequently, three more patients were received the following day and as of Jan. 8, there 10 suspected cholera cases of which 2 cases have been confirmed. Majority of the cases have improved and will be discharge soon.

Some precautions the ministry is undertaking to prevent and control the spread of the disease like opening the Naguru-China Uganda Cooperation Hospital for the disease treatment, embarking on ambulance pickups and coordinating with stakeholders to follow up cases.

Cholera is a disease spread by drinking water or eating food contaminated with cholera bacteria. Severe cholera is characterized by large amounts of watery diarrhea, often described as “rice-water stool” because it can have a pale, milky appearance. It can also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. If untreated, the loss of fluid can be deadly. But simple treatment, including replacing lost body fluids, can lower the risk of death to less than 1%.



