The Government has issued a statement addressing recent misinformation regarding Mpox cases.
On August 23, 2024, the Express Tribune of Pakistan published an article claiming that Gabon had registered its first Mpox case, allegedly with a travel history through Uganda.
However, the government clarifies that there is no record or evidence of such a case through official health surveillance systems. The statement notes that both Gabon and Uganda are part of a joint surveillance mechanism, and no notification has been received from Gabon regarding this purported case.
The government further asserts that report from Pakistan should be treated as fake news as Uganda remains vigilant and continues to monitor and manage all Mpox cases and claims diligently.
Uganda has confirmed a total of four cases of Mpox following the detection of two additional infections with the clade 1b strain, a new variant of the virus that has sparked global alarm.
The Ministry of Health first reported Mpox in Uganda on July 24, 2024, when laboratory tests at Bwera Hospital in Kasese District confirmed two cases from six samples. The newly identified cases were reported last week, with one patient being a truck driver. Both patients have been isolated at a hospital in Entebbe.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda’s Minister of Health, assured the public that the outbreak is under control.
“An emergency response mechanism, the Incident Management System, similar to the frameworks used during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Ebola outbreak, has been activated,” Dr. Aceng stated during a plenary session on August 15, 2024, chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) escalated the situation by declaring the Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 14, 2024. This decision follows concerns over the clade 1b strain, which appears to transmit more easily between individuals.
According to a report from Africa Centre for Disease control and prevention, 17,000 Mpox cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported in 13 countries in Africa, including DR Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi .
Mpox, characterized by flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, spreads through close physical contact. While the disease is generally mild, it can be fatal. The government is implementing stringent measures to manage the outbreak, including isolation protocols and monitoring of contacts.