The death toll from hepatitis E in northern Uganda has risen to 106, while 6,563 remain infected with the deadly viral disease, an official has said.
The Director for Clinical Health Services in the Health Ministry Kenya Mugisha was quoted by Daily Monitor on Wednesday assaying that the situation improved much after implementing a series of measures.
"The cases of deaths and new infections are almost half of what we have been registering in the past and the situation is getting much better," he said.
The government has sensitized the public of the affected areas in the north, distributed clean containers for water collection and storage and other supplies, constructed more pit latrines among other interventions, he said.
The Health Ministry recently allocated about 15,000 U.S. dollars to support sensitization programs in the district but the money has not been sent to date, according to officials.
Meanwhile, top district official threatened to arrest those who failed to construct latrines in their homes amid the intensifying fight against the epidemic.
"A good number of homes now have latrines though a few others are still hesitant to have them. We shall soon start working on them," said Sylvester Opira, the deputy resident district commissioner of Kitgum.
Agoro border market, one of the busiest markets at the Uganda-southern Sudan border, was closed recently due to lack of latrines as a way of combating Hepatitis E in the area.
Komakech John Ogwok, chairman of the worst-hit Kitgum district, said that the council has enacted bylaws aimed at controlling the spread including banning the use of water pots and drinking kwete, a local fermented drink believed to be a prime means of transmission.
The death toll from Hepatitis E has risen over 100 a week after the government and the World Health Organization launched a 6.25 million U.S. dollar program to bring the epidemic to an end.
While 6,563 remain infected with the deadly viral disease, nine people have died over the last week, bringing the death toll to 25since July 17.
Ogwok, who is also the chairperson of the district Hepatitis Task Force, claimed jerricans and chlorine provided under the emergency program have not helped to check the spread of the disease.
The health worker-turned-politician also dismissed claims in the area that the disease can spread through sexual intercourse. "This disease has nothing to do with any one's sexual life," he said.
He warned that those who resort to local herbs instead of going to health centers for treatment risk succumbing to the disease.
The WHO, which has been supporting the district's Hepatitis E task force, in its recent statements, said there is a drastic decline in the infection rate in Kitgum, a report the district authorities disagree.
District authorities say the district remains the worst-hit and the disease, which is spread by poor hygiene, has claimed 50 livesin Madi Opei sub-county, Lamwo county, where the outbreak was first reported.
Hepatitis E is an acute viral disease that can cause liver failure.
The virus is transmitted to humans through consumption of drink or food contaminated with fecal matter. It can kill within a week if not controlled in time.
The disease first struck Kitgum in October last year, but has since spread to Gulu, Pader and Yumbe districts.
Source: Xinhua
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