Uganda records first Ebola death since 2019

Uganda’s Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed that the country has recorded its first death from Ebola Virus since 2019.

In a statement on Twitter, the ministry said that there had been a confirmed Ebola case in the central Mubende district, a 24-year-old man who showed symptoms and later died.

“Uganda confirms an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Mubende District, Uganda. The confirmed case is a 24-year-old male a resident of Ngabano village of Madudu Sub County in Mubende District presented with EVD symptoms and later succumbed.

“The clinical team took off samples for testing at UVRI. Results confirmed that the patient was positive for the Ebola-Sudan strain.

“@MinofHealthUG and partners have dispatched a Rapid Response Team to Mubende District to support the teams in surveillance, contact tracing, and case management. #EbolaOutbreakUG, the Uganda health ministry said.

Commenting on the development, the WHO’s Africa office said in a statement that the case was of the relatively rare Sudan strain after Ugandan health authorities investigated six suspicious deaths in the district this month.

“There are currently eight suspected cases who are receiving care in a health facility,” WHO Africa said, adding it was helping Uganda’s health authorities with their investigation and deploying staff to the affected area.