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UGANDA-HEALTH-EBOLA
Uganda’s suspected Ebola case tests negative
KAMPALA, Oct 28, 2018 (BSS/XINHUA) – Laboratory results for a suspected
deadly Ebola case in western Uganda has tested negative, a ministry of health
spokesperson said here Sunday.
Vivian Nakaliika, ministry of health spokesperson, told Xinhua by
telephone that the samples taken from a 26-year-old male who died suddenly on
Friday at Bwindi hospital in Kanungu district have tested negative of the
Viral Hemorrhagic Fever.
The deceased died after presenting Ebola-like symptoms of high fever,
bleeding and vomiting blood, causing fears in the east African country.
“The blood sample obtained from the 26-year-old male has tested negative
of both Ebola Virus Disease and Marburg at Uganda Virus Research Institute,
Entebbe,” said Nakaliika.
Uganda is currently on an alert of the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever from the
neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo that reported Ebola cases, according
to the ministry of health.
Ebola and Marburg virus last broke out in the east African nation in 2012.
Ebola left over 20 people dead while Marburg killed at least nine people.
Ebola is a highly infectious disease spread through body contact with an
infected person. It presents symptoms including high fever, bleeding,
diarrhea and red eyes, among others.
Mortality rates of Ebola fever, according to the World Health
Organization, are extremely high, with the human case fatality rate ranging
from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on viral subtype.
BSS/XINHUA/SSS/1652 hrs