Via Xinhua: Cholera in eastern Uganda sparks fears as torrential rains persist. Excerpt:
Persistent torrential rains in the eastern Ugandan district of Mbale and Pallisa have sparked fears that the cholera outbreak there is likely to spread to neighboring districts.
From two deaths registered at the onset of the outbreak in Mbale district in March, the number rose to 12 in April and currently stands at 21 out of the 303 confirmed cases, according to the district health statistics.
National statistics released by the Ministry of Health recently put the death toll of cholera cases at 73, although other reports say about 100 people have succumbed to the disease countrywide.
The number of people affected has increased to 3,111 from 2,200 in March in 13 districts of northern, eastern and western Uganda.
In eastern Uganda, especially Mbale district which is the epicenter of the disease, experts attribute the outbreak to the heavy rains that carry human waste to the water sources from which people draw water.
Some families do not have latrines and therefore use the bush to ease themselves. This practice according to experts is likely to spread the disease further.
At the isolated treatment center in Namatala health center in Mbale town, four patients have been lately admitted including a seven-year-old child from neighboring Butaleja district.
Paul Waniahe, the officer in charge of the health center, told Xinhua on Tuesday that they were witnessing a rebound of cholera cases.
Records at the health unit indicate that while a total of 143 patients were admitted in March, the number declined to 31 in the subsequent month, but has lately risen to 53.