Description of the situation
17 January 2001
Disease Outbreak Reported
As of 16 January, the Ugandan Ministry of Health has reported the following:
Gulu district: One new confirmed case has been detected. The case is a close contact of the patient who died on 4 January 2001 (see previous report). The cumulative total number of cases is now 396 cases and 150 deaths.
Masindi district: No new cases have been reported since 19 December 2000. The cumulative total number of cases remains 27 cases and 19 deaths.
WHO recommends no special restrictions on travel or trade to or from Uganda.
A team consisting of WHO, health authorities from the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) have investigated rumours of similar outbreaks in Bunia, DRC as indicated in a previous report. They have found no evidence of viral haemorrhagic fever. The team reviewed procedures for dealing with suspected cases and identified and trained local sampling and investigation teams.