Uganda is facing increased challenges in containing the Ebola outbreak, which has seen the number of cases rise to 14, according to Africa’s top public health agency. A new cluster of cases emerged after a 4-year-old child recently died from the disease.
Three of the five new cases have been confirmed as Ebola, while two others are considered probable, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) informed journalists on Thursday.
The Africa CDC noted that there was no direct link between this new cluster and a previous one, which included nine earlier cases and the first victim of the outbreak. Ebola has now spread to five of Uganda’s 146 districts, including Kampala, the capital, where the outbreak was declared on January 30. Two deaths from the virus have been confirmed.
Concerns over a lack of transparency have arisen, as local health officials have not been providing regular updates on the outbreak. At least three hospitals in Kampala have treated confirmed or suspected Ebola cases without informing the public afterward.
Dr. Charles Olaro, director of health services in Uganda’s Ministry of Health, told The Associated Press that he believes the situation is under control, adding that officials are not required to report every incident.
