Deadly Ebola virus spreads in African state
Uganda has confirmed an Ebola outbreak in its capital Kampala after a 32-year-old man succumbed to the virus, health officials said Thursday.
According to Diana Atwine, the ministry's permanent secretary, the patient succumbed to the illness on Wednesday at Mulago National Referral Hospital after experiencing multiple-organ failure. A post-mortem examination confirmed that he had been infected with the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SUDV), a strain responsible for previous outbreaks in the country.
Authorities are tracing at least 44 contacts, including 30 health workers, as they work to contain the spread. However, tracking all contacts may be challenging, as Kampala is a major travel hub, connecting Uganda to South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.
Ebola is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and internal or external bleeding.
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'Bleeding manifestations usually appear in later stages, after the above symptoms,'
Atwine said.
On Friday, Russia's human welfare watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, stated that it is ready to assist Kampala.
'Rospotrebnadzor is in contact with its Ugandan colleagues and has sent proposals to assist in conducting an epidemiological investigation and anti-epidemic measures,'
the statement said.
Earlier in 2024, in order to enhance Kampala's laboratory capacity, Russia delivered a mobile laboratory to Kampala, enabling the rapid laboratory diagnosis of dangerous infectious diseases, the press service clarified.
This marks Uganda's first confirmed Ebola fatality since 2023. The country's last major outbreak occurred in September 2022, originating in Mubende district, and was officially declared over after four months. That outbreak was also caused by the Sudan Ebola virus strain.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, on average, the virus claims the lives of five out of every ten infected individuals, though previous outbreaks have seen fatality rates fluctuate between 25% and 90%, depending on response efforts and medical intervention.
Earlier in January, neighboring Tanzania confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in its northwest Kagera region. Uganda recorded three fatalities in 2017 due to this disease.
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