Ebola-like disease remains a mystery

THE cause of an Ebola-like disease that affected scores of people in Hwange earlier this year remains a mystery with a study failing to yield results.

Matabeleland North provincial medical director Dr Nyasha Masuka said a study by a University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences student was inconclusive.

The disease with Ebola-like symptoms saw 43 people admitted at Lukosi Hospital in Hwange for four days.

The study involved comparing 43 patients who were affected by the disease with 86 others from the same area who did not fall ill.

Dr Masuka said it could have been difficult to detect the nature and cause of the disease because the study was done in retrospect when all the patients had been treated.

He, however, explained that the study proved that men were at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

“If we had tested the patients when they were still showing the symptoms, we could have had conclusive results,” said Dr Masuka.

He said Hwange district’s emergency preparedness was affected by lack of resources to conduct further diagnostic tests.

The province, Dr Masuka said, had since strengthened its Disease Surveillance System to ensure tests were done in real time.

“There is need to increase capacity at health centres particularly Lukosi Hospital. That way our work will be cut out,” he said

The mysterious disease, which broke out between April and May this year, saw people complaining of back and joint aches, and high body temperatures.

Patients showed malaria symptoms but none of them tested positive for the disease. They were admitted for about four days and then recovered without any fatalities recorded.