Death Toll from Measles Surpasses Thirty in Uganda

(MENAFN) Uganda’s Ministry of Health said Tuesday that the death toll from a measles outbreak in the country’s semi-arid northeastern region has climbed to 32, just one month after the outbreak was officially declared, underscoring the rapid spread of the highly contagious disease.

In a situation report, the ministry said 17 children have died in Napak district, while seven deaths were recorded in Nakapiripirit, four in Abim, and four in Moroto, bringing the cumulative fatalities across the four districts to 32.

Health authorities also reported 24 new measles infections in the past 24 hours across five districts, pushing the total number of confirmed cases to 505 since the outbreak began.

Detailing the response, the ministry said: "Response activities at regional level include deployment of the EOC (emergency operation center) team within 72 hours to conduct comprehensive outbreak investigations in all the outbreak districts and supporting active surveillance,"

The ministry attributed the outbreak to several systemic gaps, including low population immunity, missed vaccinations, delayed detection, late healthcare-seeking behavior, and weak active measles surveillance in affected communities.

Officials said a targeted vaccination campaign is now underway, focusing on children aged six months to 15 years in the hardest-hit districts.

The latest outbreak follows a wider resurgence last year, when the ministry confirmed measles outbreaks in 56 districts nationwide, highlighting persistent immunization challenges.

Measles spreads through coughing and sneezing and can cause severe illness. Common symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. According to the World Health Organization, symptoms usually emerge seven to 14 days after infection.

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