The Ministry of Health (MOH) has Tuesday announced that the Yellow Fever outbreak which was reported in March this year has been contained.
Prof. Anthony Mbonye, the Acting Director General of Health Services at the Ministry told journalists at a news conference that there has been no new cases reported since the Ministry undertook a mass vaccination exercise in the affected districts.
On March 24, an alert was raised about a suspected outbreak of Yellow Fever in Masaka district involving three cases from one family. Following tests conducted, it was confirmed on April 7 that the three samples contained the fever.
More 65 suspected cases were later reported in the districts of Masaka, Rukungiri and Kalangala 7 of which were confirmed and 3 people dead.
The Ministry conducted a mass vaccination in the three affected districts with a total of 627,706 people aged 6 and above vaccinated.
“It is my pleasure to announce that the 2016 yellow fever outbreak has been contained. There has been no new cases reported since we carried out vaccination and a screening in 17 districts surrounding Masaka, Rukungiri and Kalangala,” Prof. Mbonye told journalists at the Uganda Media Centre.
He did stress that; “The vaccination exercise covered 94 percent of the 3 affected districts, which is above the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended percent of 90.”
In the meantime, further efforts including screening are being made to ensure there is no importation of yellow fever in the country.
Prof. Mbonye urged Ugandans who intend to travel abroad to undergo vaccination at the respective MOH accredited health facilities as well as protecting themselves from mosquito bites.
Jeff N. Borchert, the Global Health Security Coordinator at U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hailed Uganda for its early recognition and response.
“Containment of the Yellow fever is indicative of the great capacity by Uganda’s Ministry of Health in terms of response,” Borchert said.