By Nurat Uthman
The Ugandan Ministry of Health on Thursday confirmed an Ebola outbreak in the capital, Kampala, following the death of a male nurse at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The nurse, who exhibited fever-like symptoms, had sought treatment at multiple facilities, including a traditional healer, before succumbing to the disease on January 29.
Post-mortem tests confirmed the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus.
According to Reuters, authorities have identified 44 individuals who came into contact with the deceased, including 30 healthcare workers, and efforts to trace them are underway.
“The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Jan. 29. Post-mortem samples confirmed the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (strain),” the ministry said in a statement as reported by Reuters.
However, the process is expected to be challenging due to Kampala’s dense population of over four million people and its role as a major transit hub for neighboring countries, including South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.
Ebola, a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever, spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. Symptoms include severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting blood, and internal bleeding.
The Ugandan government has responded swiftly, initiating containment measures, patient care, and contact tracing, leveraging expertise built from previous outbreaks.
Reuters stated that this marks Uganda’s ninth recorded Ebola outbreak since the first case in 2000. The most recent occurred in late 2022, infecting 143 people and claiming 55 lives, including six healthcare workers.
That outbreak lasted nearly four months before being declared over in January 2023.
Health officials have announced that vaccinations will begin for all identified contacts of the deceased. However, there is currently no approved vaccine for the Sudan strain, though Uganda received experimental doses during the last outbreak.
