Uganda’s Ministry of Health has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in the capital, Kampala, following the death of a healthcare worker.
The deceased, a 32-year-old male nurse, experienced severe symptoms, including “high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing,” as well as “bleeding from multiple body sites.” He passed away on Wednesday due to multi-organ failure at Mulago National Hospital, situated in the heart of the city.
This marks Uganda’s eighth documented Ebola outbreak since the disease was first identified in the country in 2000.
The outbreak involves the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus (SUDV), a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever spread through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues. SUDV is one of several known variants of the virus that have caused outbreaks.
Before being diagnosed, the nurse sought medical help at multiple clinics and also visited a traditional healer. His movements included a stop at a public hospital in Mbale, a city near the border with Kenya.
Health officials have identified 44 individuals who were in contact with him, including 30 healthcare workers, and efforts are underway to track and monitor them.
Rapid response teams have been deployed to curb further spread, but containment efforts may be complicated by the city’s dense population. Kampala, home to over four million residents, also serves as a key transit hub for travellers moving to and from South Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other neighbouring countries.
Uganda’s last battle with Ebola occurred in September 2022, also linked to the Sudan strain. That outbreak, centred in Mubende district, lasted four months before health authorities declared it over.
Ebola is caused by six known virus strains, four of which—Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, and Taï Forest—can infect humans. The remaining two, Reston and Bombali, are primarily found in non-human primates.
Unlike the Zaire variant, which has an approved vaccine, there is currently no licensed immunization available for the Sudan strain.
Early symptoms of Ebola include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, and sore throat, followed by more severe effects such as vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, and internal as well as external bleeding.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that Ebola has an average fatality rate of 50%, though past outbreaks have ranged from 25% to as high as 90%, depending on response measures and outbreak conditions.
