Five Uganda Health Care Workers Die from Ebola
Recombinomics Commentary
December 5, 2007
A medical doctor and four health workers, who treated the first Ebola patients in Bundibugyo, have died of the disease. Dr. Jonah Kule, the medical superintendent of Kikyo Health Centre, succumbed on Tuesday night. He had been quarantined at Mulago Hospital.
Senior clinical officer Joshua Kule, senior nursing officer Rose Bulimpikya, matron Peluce Tabiita and another nurse not yet identified died yesterday in Bundibugyo Hospital, according to senior clinical officer James Agaba.
The above comments indicate two additional health care workers have died, raising the total to five fatalities in teh past 24 hours. These numbers suggest the number of infected patients may be markedly higher than reported to date.
The hospitalization and deaths of health care workers has reduced the number of hospitalized patients significantly, and many with symptoms will avoid hospitals. Although some PPE’s are just arriving, most of the health care workers would have gloves, and would be aware of potential transmission of the infectious agent. Therefore, their fatal infections signal efficient transmission.
Media reports describe multiple suspect fatalities at more distant locations, and confirmation of cases will be reduced because the Ebola virus is a new species and PCR primers are still under development. Positives will be dependent on antibody tests, which may have a high specificity, but a low sensitivity. Similarly, infected patients that avoid hospitals will also reduce the number of confirmed cases.
More information on suspect Ebola fatalities at distant locations would be useful.
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