For Days, Ezra Byegarazo Lay in an Isolation Ward, His Body Wracked With Fever and Weakness.

A frontline health worker Himself, He Had Treated Many Patients Before – But Now, He was the one Fighting for Survival. He knew about the deadly nature of the ebola virus, but he wasn’t prepared to battle the virus firsthand.

“I thought I was going to die,” He said.

“Ebola is real, and I have tasted it. Had it not been for the doctors, I would be dead.”

Byegarazo is one of a group of survivors who contracted the Sudan Strain of Ebola – Loso Know as Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) – AFTER Exposure to the FIRSTID CASE ATHEFIED CASE ATH Where he worked.

The outbreak was detected on 29 january when a 32-hour-old male nurse at mulago referral hospital tested positive. It Spread Rapidly Within Health Care Settings, Infecting a Number of Health Workers.

The 32-year-old nurse died from the disease but the other eight people who contracted it was successfully treated.

On 18 February, Byegarazo and Seven OTERS WALKED OUT of Treatment Centers in Kampala and Mbale, A City in Eastern Uganda, After Being Declared Ebola-Free.

Not over yet

However, Health Authorities have stressed that the fight is not yet over and warned against complacement.

The country must go at least 42 days without

Uganda’s Health Minister, Jane Ruth Aceng, Said, “We must Remain Vigilant, Strengthen Survelance, Enhance Infection Prevention and Control in Health Facility, and Continue Engaging Communities.”

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for 6 million swiss francs (US $ 6.6 Million) to Help Contain the outbreak.

ACENG Outlined Uganda’s Three-Proneged Containment Strategy: Screening and Quarantining all identified contacts, isolating symptomatic individuals, and intensifying publical communication efforts.

Speaking to Journalists on 18 February, She Said Authorities Had Identated and Quarantine 265 Contacts of the Recovered Patients.

So-called “ring vaccination” was being carried out-A Public Health Strategy that Involves Vaccinating Close contacts of someone who has contracted a disease.

Although None of the Contacts Had Developed Symptoms, ACID they would remove under observation for 21 days, the virus’s maximum incubation period.

Experimental vaccine

Uganda’s Response to the OutBreak Includes an Experimental vaccine targeting svd, which has a Mortality rate of about 50%,

On 3 February, the who launched a clinical trial of a promising vaccine, to test its effectiveness in preventing the virus from spores. It was administerred to frontline health care workers and people who had been in contact with infected patients.

“In the absence of licensed vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of svd, the risk of potential public health impact is high,” The who said in a statement.

Who Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Called It a “Critical Achievement towards better pandemic preparedness.”

Bruce Kirenga, Principal Investigator of the Trial vaccine, explained that testing focused on people who alredy had been expected to the virus.

Most Eligible People who provided consent had been enrolled, thought some declined vaccination, he said.

Mental Health Support

David Kaggwa, Who Leads The 33-Member Team of Ebola Frontline Workers at the Mulago Hospital isolation unit, says Survivors of the Sudan Ebolavirus has not on Received Medical Treatment But A also Health support.

He said the disease “does not leave one’s state of mind.”

All Eight Survivors Tested Negative Twice, with Tests Conducted 72 hours apart -the standard protocol for confirming recoverry.

Kaggwa urged the public to welcome them back to their communities without STIGMA.

“They have been tested twice and are ebola-free,” He said.

The who said strong public engagement, include Campaigns to Counter Misinformation, Has Helped Uganda Reduce Fatalities from the Virus. The Mortality Rate for the outbreak stands at 11.1 Percent.

The outbreak is the eighth in uganda in 25 years. The first outbreakIn 2000, was the deadliest, with 425 cases and 224 deaths.

Provided by scidev.net