Cholera outbreak contained, says health official

The Ugandan health authorities on Tuesday said several medical teams had been dispatched to districts affected by a cholera epidemic sweeping through most of the country's western regions, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). John Kyabaggu, the director of health services told journalists on Tuesday that nine deaths and over 230 cases of cholera had been reported in the west over the past two weeks alone. The districts most affected were Bundibugyo, Hoima, Kasese, and Masindi, he said. Cases had also been reported in Kabarole, Arua and Nebbi. Kyabaggu went on to say that the epidemic had now been brought "under control". "We already have a surveillance team from headquarters that is monitoring the situation and visiting the affected areas," he said. He attributed the outbreak to the "uncontrolled" human and commercial traffic across the border with the DRC, and poor sanitation and hygienic practices. He urged the public to observe "proper hygienic conditions" such as ensuring that they regularly boiled their drinking water. Local media reported on Monday that those being treated for cholera in Kasese included over 80 Ugandan soldiers. Maj Shaban Bantariza, the spokesman of the Uganda People's Defence Forces, told IRIN that the affected soldiers had been dispatched to the region on a mission to recover Ugandan livestock stolen by rustlers from the DRC. Bantariza attributed the epidemic to poor hygiene practices among pastoralist groups living in the region. "This area is a chronic case. The nomadic people don't use modern toilet facilities, so when it rains, all the water gets contaminated," he said.