Uganda has confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola in its capital, Kampala, with one reported death. A 32-year-old male nurse, who was showing signs like high fever, chest pain, trouble breathing, and bleeding from several parts of his body, passed away from multi-organ failure at Mulago National Hospital on Wednesday.

This is the eighth Ebola outbreak in Uganda since the first case in 2000. The virus, known as the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SUDV), spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. Before his diagnosis, the nurse visited multiple health centers and a traditional healer, which may have delayed the detection of the disease.

Following the nurse’s death, health authorities have identified 44 people who may have come into contact with him, including 30 healthcare workers, and are tracing them. Kampala is a busy city with over four million people, making contact tracing challenging, especially as the city connects to nearby countries like South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.

The Sudan strain of Ebola does not have a vaccine, unlike other strains, and has a high fatality rate, with the World Health Organization estimating that, on average, 50% of those infected will die.

Symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and severe bleeding. The last outbreak in Uganda was in September 2022, also caused by the Sudan strain, and was contained after four months.

The situation in Kampala highlights the continued threat of Ebola and the challenges of controlling its spread, as noted by BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz6p8j17ynlo

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