KAMPALA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Three new cases of Ebola Virus Disease have been confirmed in Uganda, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to five in the country, said Uganda's Ministry of Health on Saturday.
These are the first locally detected Ebola cases recorded in Uganda since an outbreak began in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Two of the newly confirmed patients are Ugandan nationals linked to the country's first confirmed case. One is a driver who transported the index patient, while the other is a health worker who was exposed while caring for the patient. Both are currently receiving treatment, the ministry said.
The third case is a Congolese woman from the DRC. She entered Uganda with mild abdominal symptoms, flew on a chartered flight from Arua to Entebbe, and sought care at a private Kampala hospital on May 10. Health officials launched an investigation after receiving a report from the pilot who flew her, the ministry said.
The authorities said all contacts associated with the confirmed cases have been identified and are being closely monitored.
The ministry urged the public to remain calm and continue adhering to preventive measures, stressing that early treatment significantly improves survival rates.
Uganda has intensified surveillance, case management, contact tracing and public awareness to contain the outbreak, said the ministry. ■