Another medical doctor in Mubende district has succumbed to Ebola Virus Disease as the area continues to be ravaged by the deadly monster, authorities have confirmed.
Dr John Grace Walugembe a laboratory technician at the Mubende Regional Referral Hospital and a proprietor of Life Care Medical Clinic in Kirungi South Division in Mubende municipality was announced dead yesterday, bringing to five, the total number of health workers who have died of Ebola.
Mubende RDC, Ms Rosemary Byabashaija confirmed the demise of Dr. Walugembe, who she hailed as an important pillar in the district’s health sector, and his loss leaves a big blow to the entire hospital fraternity.
“It’s too sad to lose such important people in the community”, Ms Byabashaija said briefly in a phone conversation.
The RDC last week explained that the Ebola task force together with a health surveillance team on October 10 closed Dr Walugembe’s clinic after he attended to a woman who later died from his clinic with signs and symptoms of Ebola, and he was picked up for isolation after testing positive for the deadly virus.
“We closed the clinic which had been attending to Ebola suspects after a woman died from that clinic bleeding from the mouth and nose on October 9, 2022,” Ms Byabasaija said on October 11.
At the time of his death, Dr Walugembe was receiving treatment at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital.
This publication, a fortnight ago, exclusively interviewed Dr Colleen Tumuguzu, who shared his story on how he survived the virus as he watched his colleagues die infront of him.
The frighted but not broken health worker blamed part of the ordeal and setback on the health workers on lack of Personal Protection Equipment.
Today marks 40 days of responding to the EVD outbreak, first case was confirmed on 19-Sep-2022.
Two newly confirmed EVD cases (Both female, 43yrs) in the past 24 hours, both from Kassanda who are linked to known cases.
Two new confirmed deaths reported within the past 24 hours, both from Kassanda.
Five new recoveries – four from Entebbe, one from Mubende, in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative recoveries to 40.
Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) among confirmed cases is 34/128 (27%).
A total of 1,656 contacts actively being followed-up in ten districts, follow-up rate in the past 24 hours was 88%.
