Uganda declares end to latest Ebola outbreak
Uganda has officially declared the end of its latest Ebola outbreak, three months after the first cases emerged in the capital, Kampala.
The ministry of health announced the milestone on Saturday via its official X account, calling it “good news” and confirming that 42 days had passed without new infections since the last patient was discharged.
“During this outbreak, 14 cases, 12 confirmed and two not confirmed through laboratory tests [probable], were reported. Four deaths, two confirmed and two probable, occurred. Ten people recovered from the infection,” The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus applauded the Ugandan health ministry for its “leadership and commitment” in overcoming the outbreak.
Ebola infections are frequent in Uganda which has many tropical forests that are natural reservoirs for the virus.
The latest outbreak, caused by the Sudan strain of the virus, was detected on January 30 this year when a male nurse contracted the virus and later died. The strain has no approved vaccine.
It was Uganda’s ninth outbreak since the country recorded its first infection in 2000.
Neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo – a country that has experienced more than a dozen outbreaks, including one from 2018 to 2020 which killed nearly 2 300 people – Uganda remains highly vulnerable to the spread of the disease.
The ministry of health announced the milestone on Saturday via its official X account, calling it “good news” and confirming that 42 days had passed without new infections since the last patient was discharged.
“During this outbreak, 14 cases, 12 confirmed and two not confirmed through laboratory tests [probable], were reported. Four deaths, two confirmed and two probable, occurred. Ten people recovered from the infection,” The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus applauded the Ugandan health ministry for its “leadership and commitment” in overcoming the outbreak.
Ebola infections are frequent in Uganda which has many tropical forests that are natural reservoirs for the virus.
The latest outbreak, caused by the Sudan strain of the virus, was detected on January 30 this year when a male nurse contracted the virus and later died. The strain has no approved vaccine.
It was Uganda’s ninth outbreak since the country recorded its first infection in 2000.
Neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo – a country that has experienced more than a dozen outbreaks, including one from 2018 to 2020 which killed nearly 2 300 people – Uganda remains highly vulnerable to the spread of the disease.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article