The World Health Organization announced this Thursday, September 22, the confirmation of seven cases of Ebola in Uganda, including one death recorded this week. It is one of the six species of the genus “Ebolavirus”, a relatively rare strain, nicknamed Sudanese.
This is the first time since 2012 that Uganda has reported an Ebolavirus Sudan outbreak. Last Tuesday, the country recorded the death of a 24-year-old caused by this deadly virus. “So far, seven cases of infection, including one death, by Ebolavirus Sudan, one of the six species of the genus Ebolavirus, have been confirmed,” WHO said in a statement on Thursday.
The outbreak is confined to Mubende, in the central region of Uganda, about two hours’ drive from the capital Kampala, and is located along a busy road that leads to the Democratic Republic of Congo. In total, “43 contacts have been identified and 10 people suspected of having contracted the virus are receiving treatment at the regional referral hospital in Mubende, the district where the disease was confirmed this week,” the UN agency added.
Stopping the spread
In addition, in view of the emergency and the outbreak of this viral hemorrhagic fever, WHO, together with the Ugandan authorities, is working hard to stop the spread. “We are acting swiftly and decisively to end this outbreak. Our experts are already on the ground working with experienced Ugandan Ebola control teams to strengthen surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures,” said Abdou Salam Gueye, regional director of emergencies at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
Ebola virus disease is often fatal, but vaccines and treatments are now available to cure it. However, no specific treatment against the Sudanese strain of the virus exists yet. Only the identification of cases and the early treatment of symptoms increase the chances of survival.
Discovered in the DRC in 1976, Ebola has killed thousands across Africa. In Uganda, the last episode of this Ebola Zaire outbreak was in 2019. It was an imported case from neighboring DRC, which was battling the worst epidemic in its history, according to WHO. The disease has six different strains, three of which (Bundibugyo, Sudan, Zaire) have already caused a worldwide disaster.
