At least 14 people have been hospitalized following a suspected outbreak of cholera in Elegu Town Council in Amuru district, a busy border point between Uganda and South Sudan.
The suspected cases were detected on July 2 after dozens of patients presented with acute symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting.
A preliminary rapid diagnostic test (RDT) conducted on the patients returned positive for cholera, prompting an urgent response from the district health department.
Milton Okello, the district Surveillance Focal Point person, said eight patients have been admitted to Bibia Health Center III for medical treatment, where an isolation unit has been set up to manage the cases.
Samples from the patients were transferred to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital for further advanced laboratory tests to confirm an outbreak of cholera.
“We are waiting for the results from Gulu Referral Hospital to confirm an outbreak of cholera,” said Okello. “For now, we are treating this as a probable outbreak.”
Okello called for calm among the community and asked residents in Elegu to maintain hygiene and report suspected cases to health officials.
Following the suspected cases, health officials have activated emergency response measures, including contact tracing and community sensitization.
At least 64 contacts were traced by the surveillance team and are being closely monitored by health officials within the Elegu Town Council.
Elegu, a bustling Town Council at the Uganda-South Sudan border, is a high-risk area for waterborne diseases due to the large population, poor hygiene, and cross-border movement of people.
Last month, an outbreak of cholera in the neighboring Nimule Township in South Sudan left three people dead.
Amuru district last registered cases of cholera in February 2024, after four Sudanese asylum seekers tested positive for the disease.
Health officials believe the latest suspected cholera outbreak could be linked to cross-border movements between communities in Elegu Town Council and Nimule Township, where health officials are still battling cases of cholera currently.
Amuru Resident District Commissioner Geoffrey Osborn Oceng said the district is on high alert, adding that the Health Ministry has already been informed about the suspected outbreak of the waterborne disease.
Oceng urged the community of Elegu Town Council to observe hygiene, avoid drinking contaminated water, and seek immediate medical help if symptoms of cholera appear
