Kabale Marbug Suspected Case Tests Negative

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By URN

Results from a suspected Marburg case at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital in Kabale district have turned negative.

The suspect was picked up early this week from one of the private clinics in Kabale town after showing signs related to the disease.

On Friday, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Senior Communications Officer at the Ministry of Health revealed that the samples that were taken to the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe were negative.

Ainebyoona however urged the public to remain on high alert and observe preventive measures.  Ainebyoona also asked for vigilance and compulsory screening of all people crossing into the country from Rwanda.

He adds that the Ministry is planning to establish a mobile testing unit at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital to reduce the burden of transporting samples to Entebbe.

Marburg was declared in Rwanda in September. So far, 58 cases have been confirmed and 13 have succumbed to the disease.

Marburg is from the same family as Ebola, namely the Filoviridae family (filovirus) of viruses. It has been described as more severe than Ebola. It causes a haemorrhagic fever, which is a type of fever that can damage the walls of blood vessels, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).