The number of people who have died from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Mubende district has risen to 12, according to authorities.
By Yesterday morning, the death toll stood at eight people. But officials say that two more people died in the hospital while three others died in a village in Madudu sub county, the same area where the first case was confirmed two days ago.
The first seven people including an enrolled nurse died before the outbreak was confirmed.
Dr Emmanuel Paul Batibwa, the director of Mubende Regional Referral hospital says that 10 other people are currently admitted with severe signs of Ebola.
He added that four contacts of a victim who died in Kyaka refugee settlement have also been sent to Mubende hospital for screening and that their samples have been sent to the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
Batibwa says that a team of taskforce members has been dispatched to the community to carry out surveillance and investigate the private clinics where the first patients were reportedly treated.
He asked the public to be vigilant and take precautionary measures to control the disease.
Karen Besigye, the secretary for health in Mubende district said that they have recorded five new patients from Kyaka II resettlement camp and that three people were reported dead in Kirwanyi village.
She explains that surveillance teams have been dispatched to establish the cause of death.
Mubende resident district commissioner Rosemary Byabashaija said that plans are underway to limit events and gatherings as one of the measures to reduce the possible spread of the disease.
She added that more restrictions are being drawn among them limiting public gatherings.
Byabashaija appealed to the people to seek medical assistance from a government hospital in case of any suspicion for easy case management.
She said that the district task force will dispatch a team to camp in Madudu sub-county to continue sensitizing the communities as well as surveilling, tracking the sick and assessing the situation.