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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Ebola Bundibugyo: Saturday numbers

Encouraging statistics from today:
  • Cumulative cases: 122
  • Cumulative deaths:  34 (same as yesterday, no new ones!)
  • Admitted on isolation wards:  Bundibugyo 4 . . . 0 admissions, 4 discharges, 0 deaths.  Kikyo 8 . . . .2 admissions, 4 discharges, 0 deaths.
  • Contacts:  423 identified, 327 being followed, 286 seen today (87%).  42 people moved off the list at the end of their 21 days.
  • Surgeries Scott performed today: 3.  He was called this morning by the police surgeon from Fort Portal who said he needed to go home for the weekend, so could Scott be on call. . And a few minutes later the first emergency C-section call came.  So Scott and Scott spent the whole day at Bundibugyo hospital, once again the only people seeing non-Ebola patients.  This pinch-hitting is very stretching for them, dealing with cases that come very late and very sick . . . Thankfully a healthy baby boy was delivered by C section, an 18 year old bleeding excessively from a miscarriage had a d and c, and another lady’s life was saved when she came with a retained placenta.  Before and after all that Scott was dealing with airstrip maintenance.  It’s a lot of work to be here these days.  
Best comment of the day:  Dr. Sessanga’s son.  It is a privilege to be a source of information even for Ebola patients’ family members in Uganda, to encourage prayer and hope.  A small way in which this crisis bridges cultural barriers and connects us all.

2 comments:

Rick and Nancy said...

Jennifer and Scott,
We are the parents of Claire Moore who interned with WHM in Bundibugyo in the summer of 2006. We want to say "thank you so much" for the thoughtful and detailed narratives and updates you have taken the time to log for all of us to read. There are so many people standing and praying with you, many of whom have shed tears with you from half-way around the world. Your postings are some of the most heart-rending and honest yet positive and hopeful that I have ever read. You are special and very loved back here in Charlottesville as you are elsewhere in the states and around the world. Thank you for your life of service in the name of our Lord to the beloved people of Uganda.
Rick and Nancy Moore, Ch'ville, VA

Anonymous said...

Great to receive your positive report. Praying for Scott and Scott to receive rest during all of the busyness...and you, too, Jennifer.