Measles Outbreak Reported in South Karamoja

Measles outbreak has been confirmed in three districts of Nakapiripirit, Amudat, and Nabilatuk.

Measles is an airborne disease that affects mainly children aged between 6 months and 10 years old. It is spread through air and contact with an infected person

Dr. Peter Lokwang, the Nabilatuk District Health Officer noted that the first case was confirmed in August and it increased in September, October, and November.

Lokwang said that they formed a district task force and instituted the protocol of managing the cases by isolating the sick and alerting the surveillance team to report cases daily

Lokwang revealed that all the children between the ages of six and five years were vaccinated against measles

Lokwang said that they currently have four cases that are recorded from the villages in the Namalu sub-county under the Nakapiripirit district.

Dr Patrick Sagaki, the Amudat District Health Officer said that all the ten patients whose samples were taken to Uganda virus research institute turned positive

Sagaki said that the cases detected are from Amudat hospital and they are yet to find out from other health facilities

Dr John Anguzu, the Nakapiripirit District Health Officer said that they are yet to get a confirmation from Uganda Virus Research Institute about the samples submitted for testing

Anguzu said that they recorded 15 cases of which 13 have already improved as the investigations continue.

Anguzu noted that they delayed getting information about the outbreak from the community. He noted that the positive cases were from the patients who were fully immunized.