The Ministry of Health has confirmed an outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease in Kampala, Uganda. This follows laboratory confirmation from three national reference laboratories: the Central Public Health Laboratory in Kampala, the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe, and Makerere University.
It says this marks the eighth Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
The confirmed case, designated as the index case, is a 32-year-old male nurse, an employee of Mulago National Referral Hospital.
According to Dr. Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, the deceased 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.
Dr. Atwine reported that the patient had experienced a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, which later escalated to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites.
“The patient suffered multi-organ failure and passed away at Mulago National Referral Hospital on January 29, 2025. Post-mortem results confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease,” she stated.
She further assured that no other healthcare workers or patients in the ward have exhibited symptoms of Ebola.
Dr. Atwine also noted that the Ministry of Health has activated the Incident Management Team and deployed Rapid Response Teams to Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga to identify and isolate all contacts.
“So far, 45 contacts have been identified, including 30 healthcare workers and patients from Mulago, 11 family members of the deceased, and four healthcare workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital. Our teams are currently in Mbale conducting contact tracing, and the public will be kept informed,” she added.
The Ministry of Health urges all health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion and adhere to strict infection prevention and control measures.
Private clinics and healthcare providers must follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and promptly report any suspected cases to the nearest district health authorities for further investigations and management.
The Resident District Commissioners and Resident City Commissioners of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Mbale City, Mbale District, and Mpigi are instructed to activate the task forces and inform the Ministry of Health of suspected cases.
Also, the public has been urged to avoid physical contact with individuals exhibiting Ebola symptoms.
“The Government of Uganda would like to reassure the public that the Ministry of Health is in full control of the situation and continues to safeguard the lives of all people in Uganda. The Ministry of Health will continue to provide timely updates about this outbreak.”
Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral illness. It spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects.
The virus can be transmitted through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from Ebola.
As well as contaminated objects such as medical equipment or personal items that have met infected body fluids. And close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope, or porcupines found sick or dead in the rainforest.
Its symptoms include sudden onset fever, fatigue, chest pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, unexplained bleeding, yellowing of the eyes, restlessness, and headache.
Bleeding manifestations usually appear in later stages after the above symptoms.
Via https://theradiocommunity.org