An outbreak of Hepatitis E in northern Uganda has so far killed 72 people and is spreading across the region, Xinhua quoted health officials as saying. Stephen Malinga, Minister of Health, told reporters that the 72deaths are part of the 4,829 cases that have been recorded since the outbreak was confirmed in December last year, according to DPA. "Ministry of Health would like to inform the general public that there is an outbreak of Hepatitis E Virus in Kitgum district and it continues to escalate," he said, adding that it has spread to Pader, Gulu and Yumbe districts. Malinga, flanked by other health officials, said the deadly viral disease is spreading in the 20 year war-torn region because of poor hygiene. Health officials said the area, which hosted over two million internally displaced people by the insurgency of the Lord's Resistance Army, has a very low pit latrine cover. The disease is mostly transmitted through contaminated water. The ministry has so far sunk 200 stances of pit latrines in Kitgum alone in response to the crisis. Malinga said the ministry in conjunction with districts in the region has set up district disaster management committees to coordinate the response against the disease. The deadly disease spread from neighboring southern Sudan in September 2006, said the minister.
