Uganda’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine, addressing the media as the laboratory test results turned positive. |File Photo|.
Health authorities in Uganda on Thursday, 30 January 2025, confirmed an outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease in the capital, Kampala, marking the eighth Ebola outbreak in 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.
Uganda’s Permanent Secretary, Diana Atwine said the confirmed case, designated as the index case, is a 32-year-old male nurse, an employee of Mulago National Referral Hospital who initially 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.
Atwine said the patient presented with a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing, which later progressed to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites.
“The patient experienced multi-organ failure and succumbed to the illness at Mulago National Referral Hospital on 29th January 2025. Post-mortem samples confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease. Currently, no other healthcare worker or patient on the ward has presented with signs or symptoms of Ebola,” Atwine said in a statement.
Intervention by the Health Ministry
The Ministry of Health swiftly activated the Incident Management Team and dispatched Rapid Response Teams to both Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga to list all the contacts and isolate them.
The authorities listed all the contacts from Mulago National Referral Hospital and isolated them.
A total of 45 contacts have been listed (30 Health workers and patients from Mulago, 1 Family member of the deceased, and 4 health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital).
The health teams are in Mbale currently undertaking contact listing and the public will be duly informed. Facilities have been identified for the isolation of all listed contacts. Any contact that develops symptoms will be transferred to a designated isolation center.
In addition to this, the Ministry of Health set up plans to carry out dignified burial of the deceased to prevent the spread of EVD.
Vaccination of all contacts of the deceased against Ebola Virus Disease is set to commence immediately. The available doses of the Ebola Vaccine are prioritized for contacts and health workers.
An epidemiological team has been dispatched to activate the Regional Emergency Operation Centers in Kampala and Mbale.
Appeal to health workers
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 government directed the Resident District Commissioners and Resident City Commissioners of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Mbale City, Mbale District, and Mpigi to activate the Task Forces and inform the Ministry of Health of the suspected case.
Uganda’s health authorities called on the public to strongly avoid physical contact with individuals exhibiting Ebola symptoms, maintain strict hand hygiene by washing hands regularly with soap and water or using hand sanitizers, avoid direct contact with bodily fluids, including urine, blood, sweat, saliva, vomit, and stool, from suspected Ebola patients.
The authorities also appealed to the public to refrain from handling dead bodies of persons with signs similar to Ebola.
The Government of Uganda reassures 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.
For any suspected case, please contact the Ministry of Health’s toll-free hotline at 0800-100-066 or send a free SMS to 6767 for immediate response.
