By Leilah Bbaale
The Hoima District Health Department has registered 16 new cases of measles.
The cases were registered at the Runga Landing Site in Kiganja sub-county over the weekend bringing to 394, the total number of people affected by the disease since its outbreak was reported in the district two weeks ago.
The outbreak was first confirmed in four villages of Runga and Kavava in Kiganja sub-county and Tonya and Rwentale in Buseruka sub-county. The most affected are children aged between one and five years.
Hoima District Health Inspector Fredrick Byenume attributes the new cases to overcrowding in areas where the virus has been reported making it hard for them to mitigate the risk of transmission. He, however, adds that up to 2,930 people have now been vaccinated against the disease in the district, most of them children aged between one and 15 years.
He explains that the district is currently running out of the measles vaccines as the cases surge, adding that they are also yet to receive the emergency vaccines order that was placed at the National Medical stores.
Measles typically presents with symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, inflamed eyes, and a characteristic skin rash. Health experts advise that symptoms usually appear 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.
