Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of the Sudan Ebola Virus (SUDV) after a nurse who had developed a fever was pronounced dead and his blood samples taken for a laboratory test.
Speaking on Thursday, January 30, 2025, Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for Health Diana Atwine said the victim who succumbed to the virus had sought treatment for his condition at various hospitals including a traditional healer without much success.
“An outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease has been confirmed in Kampala, Uganda following confirmation from three National Reference Laboratories,” PS 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”
Symptoms of Ebola
PS Atwine revealed that the patient had a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing, which later progressed to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites.
She equally observed that the patient encountered multiple organ failure during his treatment and finally succumbed to the illness; after which a postmortem examination revealed the cause of his malady.
“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 health care worker or patient on the ward has presented with signs or symptoms of Ebola,” Atwine noted.
Emergency response
Following the discovery, PS Atwine noted that the Ministry had activated the incident management team and dispatched Rapid Response Teams to both Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga where the patient had been admitted.
Also, the Ministry of Health has embarked on a contact tracing mission in which 44 contacts have so far been listed (30 Health workers and patients from Mulago, 11 Family Members of the deceased,and 4 health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga.
The PS stated that health officials will ensure that the deceased gets a decent send-off to ensure that the disease does not spread further to others.
“Vaccination of all contacts of the deceased against EVD is set to commence immediately targeting contacts of the deceased,” Atwine added.
