(Machine Translated) The quarantined citizens who are being monitored for Marburg symptoms have increased from 193 to 205 while the Minister of Health, Ummy Mwalimu said that no patients have increased. The people quarantined in Bukoba district, Kagera Region after coming into contact with Marburg patients have increased from 193 to 205 while the Minister of Health, Ummy Mwalimu said that no patients have increased.
Minister Ummy speaking to journalists at the Regional Commissioner’s office today March 25, 2023 said that health professionals continue to monitor all people who have been in contact with Marburg patients and quarantine them for a period of 21 days to determine if they have symptoms of the disease which a person is contagious after showing symptoms.
He has said that due to the fact that the patient appeared on Gozba Island, they have sent a team of experts from Muleba District who will monitor all those who were in contact with the patient who, after leaving the island, went to his family in Maruku.
He has said that they have sent six medical specialists to Kagera, among them are an internal medicine specialist and a cardiologist.
The teacher asked the residents of Kagera Region to continue with their daily activities and not be afraid of the disease and asked them to take precautions by washing their hands and using hand sanitizers and not touching their hands as well as following the instructions given by health professionals.
He said that about 1322 health workers at the community level have been employed for three months in Kagera region to help provide education at the community level in helping the fight against Marburg disease.
‘In the government’s efforts to fight Marburg disease, we will use three groups which are health workers at the community level, religious leaders and traditional healers. We have hired about 1,322 health workers at the community level who will be in the whole region but for now we have started with two councils Bukoba Rural and Bukoba Municipal and we will put two workers in each township, three in each street and one in each village,” Minister said Ummy.
In addition, on the part of the Chief Medical Officer of the Region, Dr. Issesanda Kaniki has said that, in collaboration with the municipality of Bukoba and other stakeholders, they will continue to install hand washing facilities in the areas of the main bus station and the main market.
Also, on the road going to Geita, Mwanza Kahama, Dar es Salaam and other regions, a station will be set up in the Kemondo areas so that all passengers will be tested for temperature and on the road to Karagwe, Mtukula, also in the Kyaka Misenyi area, a station will be set up to test all passengers coming from that road.
Minister Ummy will visit Maruku and Kayangereko County where Marburg patients were found and he will visit the area where 205 people are quarantined as well as the treatment center for Marburg patients.
It should be noted that on March 15 eight people were found to be suffering from an unknown disease and five people lost their lives and on March 21 this year the government officially announced the existence of Marburg disease.
Until now, the government through health professionals have continued to provide education to the public on how to protect themselves from the disease and three patients are continuing treatment.