KAMPALA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Laboratory results from three suspected cases of the deadly Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHFs) in central Uganda have tested negative, a ministry of health spokesperson said on Saturday.
Vivian Nakaliika Serwanjja, told Xinhua by telephone that the samples taken from three suspected females under close observation at Asili Hospital in Luwero district tested negative of the deadly Ebola, Marburg, Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever, Rift Valley Fever and Sosuga viruses.
The VHFs are a group of illnesses caused by four families of viruses, including the Ebola and Marburg, Lassa fever and yellow fever viruses.
"The samples were taken to Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe. But all of them [results] have tested negative of any viral haemorrhagic fever," said Nakaliika
Ebola and Marburg virus last broke out in the east African country in 2012. Ebola left over 20 people dead while Marburg killed at least nine people.
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding.
Mortality rates of Ebola fever, according to the World Health Organization, are extremely high, with the human case fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on viral subtype.
According to the World Health Organization, Marburg is a severe and highly fatal disease caused by a virus from the same family as the one that causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
According to the global health body, the illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly, with severe headache and malaise.
