Officials in Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MOH) have dismissed claims of a confirmed Nipah virus case in the country, following reports of an outbreak in India. The Ministry’s statement comes after several viral TikTok videos claimed that Uganda had recorded deaths from the virus, which can be transmitted through contaminated food or direct contact with infected persons. One video even alleged a looming lockdown in Jinja and Kasese districts.
Speaking to URN, Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Director of Public Health at MOH, said the information is being spread by lay people aiming to create unnecessary panic, emphasizing that Uganda has not recorded any case.
In India, the outbreak was confirmed after two healthcare workers in West Bengal tested positive for the rare but lethal virus in late December. Dr. Kyabayinze noted that Uganda has an international intelligence system monitoring global health events and has not received any alerts suggesting the virus has spread beyond India.
Fear surrounding the outbreak is not limited to Uganda. Media reports in Asia indicate that several countries have heightened surveillance and reinstated screening measures at airports, similar to protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus has never been recorded in Africa since its first report in 1998. Countries previously affected include Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore, with case fatality rates estimated between 40% and 75%.
WHO notes that infected individuals may develop fever, neurological symptoms such as headaches or confusion, and respiratory symptoms, including cough or difficulty breathing. Before the current outbreak in India, the last reported Nipah virus outbreak occurred in the Philippines in 2014.
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