The government has called on the population to be on high alert and immediately report suspected Ebola cases.

The notice was issued yesterday by the Health Ministry after reports indicated an outbreak of Ebola virus in a Ugandan district close to Rwandan border.

Ugandan health officials confirmed on Thursday that the epidemic had claimed 16 people in the last three months in the country’s western district of Bundibugyo, about 300 km from the southern border with Rwanda.

A total of 51 cases have been reported since, according to Ugandan media.

The State Minister for HIV/Aids and other Infectious Diseases, Dr Innocent Nyaruhirira, said in a statement:

"The Ministry of Health wishes to inform the public that the threat has been taken seriously and the Ministry has dispatched teams to northern Rwanda to ensure preparedness at the border points and health facilities in case of a spill over.”

"As a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Health is alerting the public that anyone with (Ebola) signs and/or symptoms, or has a patient with the following signs and/or symptoms has to seek medical attention immediately at the nearest health facility,” he added.

The signs, the statement said, include, ‘sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pains and/or headache and sore throat. This is often followed by vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes. At later stages, patients may bleed from natural body openings, e.g., nose, ears, eyes.’

The ministry urged security services and those in charge of social affairs to share information with authorities and the local population in case of any suspicion.

Although no such outbreak has in the past been reported in Rwanda, the deadly fever has previously struck in both neighbours Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The latest outbreak is the second major occurrence in Uganda in seven years, and it strikes shortly after Kinshasa and the World Health Organisation announced that the virus had been successfully contained in DRC.

Kigali maintains a state of Ebola alertness along the Congo border despite the announcements.

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