NEWS: Arua in plague outbreak alert

Arua in plague outbreak alert

from MONITOR ONLINE

The community in Arua District has been put on high alert over an outbreak of a deadly bubonic plague disease that killed 17 people last year. In this regard, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Arua health team launched a campaign on Friday to sensitise the community on causes, signs and symptoms and prevention of the deadly disease. The District Health Officer, Dr Patrick Anguzu, said the campaign is a precautionary measure in case of any outbreak. “Our community must keep their environment clean especially the houses because the rats that transmit the disease thrive in unclean environment.” In bubonic plague, the most common form, bacteria infects the lymph system and becomes inflamed. The lymph or lymphatic system is a major component of the body’s immune system. Dr Anguzu told Daily Monitor that no new case of the disease has yet been reported in the district this year. Last years’ statistics from Arua health office indicate that 73 cases of human infections and 17 deaths were reported, the highest figure in two years. Dr Anguzu added that 29 cases have since been confirmed to be of bubonic strain. “This is the season that we highly suspect the outbreak of the disease. So we need to keep the community on alert,” he added. Within three to seven days of exposure to the plague bacteria, a person develops flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, weakness, and swollen, tender lymph glands. The community sensitisation campaign is being carried out in the disease prone areas of Vurra and Logiri. But even then, the surrounding area of Kango Sub-county in Nebbi, which borders Logiri, must not be left out. Historically, the bubonic plague is reported to have originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo especially from Aru and Ariwara. The campaign, Dr Anguzu said, is aimed at educating residents who keep pets like cats, which are also susceptible to plague. In this case, infected cats become sick and may directly transmit plague to people who handle or care for them.