Mobile death: thief targets Ebola patient in Uganda, gets infected with the virus

August 29, 2012 – UGANDA – A thief in Uganda has contracted Ebola after stealing the mobile phone of a hospital patient suffering from the potentially fatal infection. Security and medical officials in Kibaale District, mid-west Uganda, told the Daily Monitor website that the man went into the isolation ward at Kagadi Hospital and stole a cellular phone from one of the Ebola patients. The patient, who later died from the hemorrhagic fever, reported the theft. Police began tracking the thief when he started using the phone, the Daily Monitor reported. But by the time they found him he had gone to hospital with symptoms similar to those of Ebola. He reportedly confessed to stealing the phone. Kibaale District Health Officer Dr Dan Kyamanywa, told the Daily Monitor: “The suspect is admitted at Kagadi Hospital with clinical signs of Ebola. He is receiving medication. We have obtained samples from him,” Mr Kyamanywa added. The Uganda Virus Research Institute is yet to release the results of the tests. –The West