The ministry of Health has warned the public that there is an outbreak of Measles in some parts of the country. According to surveillance reports, a number of cases have been confirmed in Kamwenge district and Kamuli in the sub counties of: Butandisi, Nawanago, Balawoli, Nabwigulu and Kamuli Municipality. The most affected are children above five years up to 14 years of age.
The outbreak has been attributed to a number of factors including the high influx of refugees from neighbouring DRC, religious cults like the Triple 6, cultural attachments and attitudes towards accessing health services.
Measles is an airborne disease that affects mainly children aged six months to 10 years, although it can also affect adults. It is spread through air and contact with an infected person. Some early symptoms of measles include high fever, hacking cough, and red, swelling eyelids, muscle and body aches, irritability, running nose, watery eyes and rashes.
Approximately, 20 percent of the people with measles develop one or more complications associated with the diseases. The early symptoms of measles usually last three to four days, although they can last as a little as one day or a long as eight days, before the measles rash begin. One to two days before the rash appears, small relessions with blue-white centers appears on the inside of the mouth and tongue, and occasionally on the whites of the eyes or inside of the intestines
The ministry of Health now appeals to the public to take the following measures to avert the spread of the disease.
Avoid direct contact with children with the disease. Report and immediately take any suspected children to nearby health facilities. Children must also be taken for immunization in health facilities.