Cholera outbreak confirmed in Hoima

Four people have died in a fresh outbreak of cholera in Hoima District in the west of the country, the semi-official Ugandan ‘New Vision’ newspaper reported on Thursday. “It’s true that four people have died of cholera and 85 cases [have been] admitted since 23 October ... but the health workers have tried to contain the situation,” it quoted District Director of Health Services Emel Mathew as saying. The places most affected were Isonga and Sussa on the shores of Lake Albert, he added. WHO Uganda Representative Dr Oladato Walker confirmed to IRIN on Thursday that there was an outbreak in Hoima District but did not have confirmed statistics available. He said the outbreak was not altogether surprising since cholera was almost perennial in Uganda, occurring frequently in the west as a result of poverty and poor hygiene practices. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection which has an incubation period ranging from less than one day to five days and produces a toxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given.