KAMPALA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Ministry of Health on Thursday said it has heightened surveillance along its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the resurgence of the deadly Ebola virus in the central African country.
Ruth Aceng, Uganda's health minister said in a statement issued here that the new outbreak of Ebola in Butembo, North Kivu Province in eastern DRC puts Uganda at risk.
"In light of this (outbreak), the country has heightened surveillance and preparedness, and the following activities are being undertaken to prevent imported Ebola -- intensified risk communication, re-activation of Ebola Virus Disease district task forces and dispatch of the rapid response to Kasese district," said Aceng.
Health authorities on Wednesday confirmed the second positive case of Ebola in the health zone of Butembo.
Ebola is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever that causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding, according to the World Health Organization.
Mortality rates of the viral disease are extremely high, with the human fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on viral subtype, according to the WHO. Enditem
