Uganda has begun testing a vaccine designed to combat the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, following an outbreak that has resulted in one fatality and two confirmed infections.
The first recorded case was a 32-year-old male nurse who died last week.
On Monday, the first volunteer in the trial, currently in isolation, was administered a dose of the vaccine. The drug was developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, a non-profit global health organisation.
No vaccine has been officially approved for the Sudan strain of Ebola. However, a vaccine is available for the Zaire strain, which has historically been the primary cause of outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ebola symptoms include fever, exhaustion, muscle aches, headaches, and sore throat, often followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rashes, and both internal and external bleeding.
The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and tissues of infected individuals.
The Sudan strain of Ebola is highly lethal, with a fatality rate of at least 40%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Uganda is currently facing its sixth outbreak of the virus.
As part of the initial phase of the trial, 40 individuals identified as contacts of the first patient will be vaccinated. The Ugandan government and WHO are jointly overseeing the effort, the UN agency said in a statement on Monday.
Health officials have identified 234 individuals who are being monitored as potential contacts.
The WHO is working closely with Uganda’s health ministry, the Uganda Virus Research Institute, and the Makerere University Lung Institute to carry out the vaccine trial.
“This marks a major milestone in public health emergency response and demonstrates the power of collaboration for global health security,” said WHO’s regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti.
“If proven effective, the vaccine will further strengthen measures to protect communities from future outbreaks.”
Uganda’s last outbreak involving the Sudan strain was detected in September 2022, leading to over 70 deaths before it was declared over in January 2023.
Although the country had access to the same vaccine candidate at that time, the trials could not proceed before the outbreak ended.
Over the weekend, an initial shipment of 2,160 doses of the trial vaccine, along with treatment supplies, arrived in Kampala.
Health officials and researchers moved quickly to prepare for the trial, including training personnel, organising logistics, and finalising study guidelines.
