Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has confirmed the outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease in the country. Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine said the disease has been confirmed in Kampala, Uganda following confirmation from three National Reference Laboratories.
Dr Atwine said the index case, a nurse at the national referral hospital, had succumbed, and that there is concern he could have infected several other people in the process.
Apart from the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, the index case had been to health facilities in Wakiso District and Mbale City and had also visited a traditional healer.
“The confirmed case, designated as the index case, is a 32-year-old male nurse, an employee of Mulago National Referral Hospital who initially developed fever-like symptoms and sought treatment at multiple health facilities, including Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga in Wakiso District, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Mbale City, as well as from a traditional healer,” PS Atwine told reporters.
He was pronounced dead at Mulago National Referral Hospital on January 29, 2025, the Permanent Secretary further noted.
“The patient presented with a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing, which later progressed to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites,” Atwine told reporters.
“The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on 29th January 2025. Post-mortem samples confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease. Currently, no other health care worker or patient on the ward has presented with signs or symptoms of Ebola.”
In light of the outbreak, Atwine further explained, the Ministry had since activated the Incident Management Team and dispatched Rapid Response Teams to both Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga II.
It had also started contact listing and tracing, with 44 contacts have so far been listed. These include 30 health workers and patients from Mulago National Referall Hospital, 11 family members of the deceased, and four health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga.
She added that the deceased will be accorded a safe and dignified burial to prevent spread of the disease.
The ministry is also planning to vaccinate all contacts of the deceased against Ebola. But the PS has assured Ugandans there was no need to panic but asked the public to report any suspected cases to the ministry or nearest health facility.
“The Ministry of Health would like to reassure the public that we are in full control of the situation and continue to safeguard guard the lives of all people in Uganda,” she said.
The outbreak of Ebola in Uganda comes a day after Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital said it had been overwhelmed by cases of Monkey Pox disease, as reported Here.
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