Patients flee from hospital over Ebola

Patients with other ailments that have been receiving treatment at Kagadi Hospital have abandoned the facility in fear of contracting Ebola Hemorrhagic fever.

Reports from Kibaale district indicate that since the outbreak of the deadly virus, the hospital has not been receiving patients with general illnesses seeking medical attention.

According to Steven Byarugaba, the District Chairperson Ebola task force, the patients who were admitted at the hospital when the Ministry of Health officials isolated a ward to handle Ebola have ran away and abandoned the hospital before they were discharged.

Meanwhile the number of people who have been hospitalized after contracting Ebola in Kibaale has now increased to 19 from 8, although no deaths have been reported, bringing to 33 the total number of those who have contracted the disease.

According to the health ministry, the official death toll still stands at 14.

The district health officer Dr. Dan Kyamanywa says the patients are from the sub counties of Burora, Bwikara, Kyaterekera, Muhurro and Kagadi town council.

Kyamanywa notes that they are in an isolation ward at Kagadi hospital and are making progress after receiving treatment.

The highly infectious disease presents with high grade fever and bleeding, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain and kills in a short time.

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