While world markets are transfixed by what central planners in various continents may do, but really just say, a tragedy in Africa continues to develop, as the recently reported Ebola outbreak in the infamous country of Uganda, which is not Spain, has now spread to a local prison, even as the number of infected cases has doubled in the last several days since we first reported on this most recent Outbreak which luckily has for now not spread outside of the country. CNN reports [2]: "The hospital at the center of an Ebola outbreak in Uganda is now dealing with 30 suspected cases, including five from Kibaale prison, Dr. Dan Kyamanywa said Thursday. Three patients at Kagadi hospital have been confirmed as having the virus, said Kyamanywa, a district health officer. Doctors are now testing the suspected cases urgently so they can separate confirmed cases from those who do not have the disease, Doctors Without Borders said. Suspected cases are still trickling into the hospital, Kyamanywa said. At least 16 people have died in the current outbreak."
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"We do expect the number of suspected cases to increase," he said. "It's important to break transmission and reduce the number of contacts that suspected cases have."
There is a fear that the outbreak will spread to the capital, but it is unlikely, he said.
Many patients fled Kagadi hospital when Ebola was confirmed, he said, and the hospital is struggling to respond to all the call-outs to suspected cases.
"Right now there is no treatment for Ebola, so the most effective measure we can take is to contain the spread of the disease," said Olimpia de la Rosa, the Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator for Uganda Ebola intervention.
"That is why we need to start working immediately. Other cases need to be rapidly identified because containment is what can stop it," said the expert from the aid group, which is also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres.
The Ugandan government has asked people in western Uganda to travel by public transport only if it is necessary.
Here one may wonder if, just as in the case of Fukushima, the media is not reporting the full severity of the situation:
Market day was canceled Wednesday after Uganda's president warned people not to gather in large groups.
Health officials urged the public to report any suspected cases, to avoid contact with anyone infected and to wear gloves and masks while disinfecting bedding and clothing of infected people. Officials also advised avoiding public gatherings in the affected district.
Teams in Uganda are taking an aggressive approach, including trying to track down anyone who came into contact with patients infected with the virus and health workers have been gearing up for better protection of health workers and an influx of cases.
The workers include people from Uganda's ministry of health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
And of course, the biggest concern is getting one of those infected but asymptomatic on board of a plane and headed for Europe of the US. The resulting panic would be quite unwelcome. Or welcome, depending on one administration's need to force a social clamp down.
Video summary of the situation: