Latest news with #EbolaVirusDisease
Zawya
24-02-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Ministry of Health with Support from World Health Organization (WHO) reactivates the Infectious Disease Unit (IDU) In Nimule to enhance cross border public health security in South Sudan
To improve capacity for treatment of infectious diseases and mitigate the risk of cross-border disease transmission, the Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), has established and handed over an Infectious Diseases facility in the border of Nimule to the Magwi County Health Department. The new 15 bed capacity facility is designed to bolster the country's healthcare system by providing necessary resources and infrastructure to manage infectious diseases effectively and boosting infection prevention and control. South Sudan initiated the establishment of this facility in 2022, following the declaration of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Uganda. This facility is a product of continued investments in capacity building for emergencies preparedness and response. With the current outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease outbreak in Uganda, this is the best time to functionalize this facility, given the epidemiological linkages of the two sisterly countries. This is in line with international health regulations (IHR (2005), which mandates countries to designate and strengthen capacities at points of entry to mitigate the risk of cross-border disease spread and preserve international public health security. South Sudan has heightened vigilance for Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, Mpox and Cholera at all levels. National readiness and response plans for the three diseases are being used to inform investment and operational decisions. Coordination of readiness investments have commenced using the multi-disease outbreak Incident Management System (IMS) currently managing Anthrax, Cholera and Mpox outbreaks. 'Our primary focus is to enhance surveillance efforts, which includes screening all travelers at major entry points with Uganda. screening has already started in several high-risk areas.' Said Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative for South Sudan 'with support from WHO, a multidisciplinary team of public health experts is currently dispatched to Nimule, and Kajokeji to conduct risk assessment and define priorities for strengthening early detection, investigation, and response to Ebola Virus Disease. 'Our aim is to protect communities by preparing and responding timely to outbreaks and other public health threats and the establishment of the Infectious Disease Unit at the Nimule point of entry will help South Sudan to expand the response capacity to timely detect, assess, report and respond promptly and effectively to public health risks, said Dr Harriet Pasquale Akello, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health.' I am grateful and would like to extend my thanks to WHO and ECHO for the generous support' The 2024 Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of national capacities identified border health and Points of Entry as one of the weakest areas requiring improvement. In turn, the JEE recommended capacity assessments, contingency planning for port health services development including international travelers screening, information sharing and minimum care facilities for isolation/containment of suspected infectious diseases affected people. It is against these JEE recommendations that strengthening of IHR capacities for Juba International Airport (JIA) and other designated points of entry in Nimule and other border points is being prioritized. South Sudan has continually faced an increased risk of emerging diseases like Ebola virus, yellow fever, cholera, the ongoing COVID-19 and other diseases with a threat to international public health security due to cross-border diseases spread. WHO is working collaboratively with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to reduce their impact on health and wellbeing. The country however continues to remain vulnerable to future events. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - South Sudan.
Arab News
30-01-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Hospital nurse dies in Uganda in first Ebola virus outbreak since 2022
KAMPALA: Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the capital, Kampala, with the first confirmed patient dying from it on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said. It is the East African country's ninth outbreak since it recorded its first viral disease infection in 2000. The patient, a male nurse at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, had initially sought treatment at various facilities, including Mulago, as well as with a traditional healer, after developing fever-like symptoms. '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. The ministry said 44 contacts of the deceased man have been listed for tracing, including 30 health workers. However, contact tracing could be challenging as Kampala, where the latest Ebola infection cropped up, is a crowded city of over 4 million people and a crossroads for traffic to South Sudan, Congo, Rwanda, and other countries. The highly infectious hemorrhagic fever is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissue. Symptoms include headache, vomiting of blood, muscle pains, and bleeding. Ugandan authorities have used capacities built up over the years, such as laboratory testing, patient care know-how, contact tracing, and other skills, to bring recent Ebola outbreaks under control in relatively short order. Uganda last suffered an outbreak in late 2022, declared over on Jan. 11, 2023, after nearly four months in which it struggled to contain the viral infection. The last outbreak killed 55 of the 143 people infected, and the dead included six health workers. The ministry said the patient had also sought treatment at a public hospital in Mbale, 240 km east of Kampala, near the border with Kenya. Vaccination against Ebola for all contacts of the deceased will begin immediately, the ministry said. There is currently no approved vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola, though Uganda received some trial vaccine doses during the last outbreak. An outbreak of Marburg, a cousin of Ebola, was declared in Tanzania last week.
Al Jazeera
30-01-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Uganda confirms one person dead in Ebola outbreak
Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola virus in Kampala, its capital city, and the death of a nurse, the Ministry of Health says. The victim, who died on Wednesday at a Kampala hospital, was a 32-year-old man, Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Health Ministry, told reporters on Thursday. He sought treatment at various facilities, including at a public hospital in Mbale, 240km (150 miles) east of Kampala near the border with Kenya, she said. 'The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on 29 January. Post-mortem samples confirmed the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (strain),' the Health Ministry said in a statement. It is Uganda's first confirmed Ebola fatality since 2023. At least 44 people, including 30 health workers, who came into contact with the nurse are being traced in an effort to contain the potential spread of the highly contagious virus, the ministry said. It added that a vaccination drive for all contacts of the deceased will begin immediately. Atwine said health authorities are 'in full control of the situation', urging Ugandans to report suspected cases. An outbreak of Marburg, which is similar to Ebola, was declared in neighbouring Tanzania last week. Rwanda, which also borders Uganda, has just emerged from a Marburg outbreak. A contact-tracing drive may be challenging because Kampala is a crowded city of more than 4 million people. It is also a bottleneck for traffic into South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and other countries. Ebola, a highly infectious haemorrhagic fever, is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues. Symptoms include headache, vomiting, muscle pains and bleeding. In recent years, Ugandan authorities have used laboratory testing, contact tracing and other techniques to bring Ebola outbreaks under control. Uganda last suffered an outbreak in late 2022, which killed 55 of the 143 people infected. The deceased included six health workers.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Uganda confirms Ebola outbreak after death of nurse in capital
Uganda has reported an outbreak of Ebola following the death of a nurse from the virus in the capital Kampala. The nurse, a 32-year-old man working at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, sought treatment at several different healthcare facilities as well as with a traditional healer after developing fever-like symptoms, Uganda's health ministry said. The patient also visited a public hospital in Mbale, roughly 150 miles east of Kampala near the border with Kenya. At least 44 people who came into contact with him are now being traced in an effort to contain the potential spread of the highly contagious virus, the ministry added. 'The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on January 29,' the ministry said. 'Post-mortem samples confirmed the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (strain),' the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time that Uganda has reported a confirmed outbreak of Ebola since 2022, when at least 164 people were infected, leading to 55 deaths. The Ebola strain responsible for both that outbreak and the most recent death is known as the Sudan strain. It is the most contagious but least deadly variant – although it still kills around 50 per cent of those it infects. Vaccination against Ebola for all contacts of the deceased will begin immediately, the ministry said. There is currently no approved vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola, though Uganda did receive some trial vaccine doses during the last outbreak. 'We assure the public that we are in full control,' Dr Diana Atwine, the health ministry's Permanent Secretary said in a statement. Ebola, a haemorrhagic fever, causes severe inflammation and tissue damage, leading to organ failure and death. The fatality rate of the Zaire strain can be as high as 80-90 per cent. Other symptoms include fever, nausea, diarrhoea, rashes and bleeding from the eyes, nose and mouth, among others. The virus is spread by contact with an infected person's bodily fluids like blood, saliva, and sweat. Ebola was first detected in the mid-1970s in simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and the Congo. It is believed to have originated in fruit bats before 'jumping' to humans, possibly through the consumption of infected animals. Between 2014 and 2016, the worst outbreak of Ebola in history killed more than 11,000 people across West Africa. In the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, local media reported last week that eight people had died out of 12 infected in a suspected Ebola outbreak. But health officials in the DRC no longer believe Ebola was responsible for the deaths, The Telegraph understands. In Tanzania, Marburg virus, a close cousin of Ebola, is also spreading. At least nine people have died of the hemorrhagic fever this month in the Kagera region, in the country's rural north-west. 'We're seeing more outbreaks of [haemorrhagic fevers] not just because they're increasing, but also because we're better at recognising and testing for them,' explained Dr Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern. 'Additionally, greater human mobility, higher exposure to disease vectors, and ecological shifts driven by climate change are all contributing to the rise in infectious diseases,' Dr Kuppalli added. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Voice of America
30-01-2025
- Health
- Voice of America
Uganda confirms Ebola outbreak in capital Kampala, one dead
Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the capital Kampala, with the first confirmed patient dying from the disease on Wednesday, the health ministry said on Thursday. The patient, a nurse at the Mulago referral hospital in the capital, had initially sought treatment at various facilities, including Mulago after developing fever-like symptoms. "The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Jan 29. Post-mortem samples confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (strain)," the ministry said. The highly infectious hemorrhagic fever is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissue. Symptoms include headache, vomiting blood, muscle pains and bleeding. Uganda last suffered an outbreak in late 2022 and that outbreak was declared over on Jan. 11, 2023, after nearly four months in which it struggled to contain the viral infection. The last outbreak killed 55 of the 143 people infected and the dead included six health workers.
