Uganda remains optimistic about containing the latest Ebola virus outbreak, which was confirmed late last month. The country’s health ministry has assured the public that the situation is under control amid increased surveillance measures.
The number of confirmed cases has risen from three to nine, with the outbreak linked to the Sudan strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine. According to a ministry statement released on Monday, one person has died, while seven patients are receiving treatment in a hospital in Kampala and one in Mbale, near the Kenyan border.
Patients in Stable Condition
All eight remaining patients are reported to be in stable condition, and 265 individuals who had contact with confirmed cases have been placed under quarantine.
In response to the outbreak, Uganda has launched a trial vaccination programme targeting the Sudan strain, the World Health Organization announced earlier this month. Current Ebola vaccines are designed for the Zaire strain, which has caused previous outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Uganda’s last Ebola outbreak, which began in September 2022, resulted in at least 55 deaths before being declared over four months later.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding.