An outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease has been declared in Uganda, the country’s health ministry has declared.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine confirmed on Tuesday following the death of a 24 year old male a resident of Ngabano Village of Madudu Sub County in Mubende District who presented with ebola symptoms.
“The clinical team took off samples for testing at UVRI. Results confirmed that the patient was positive for the Ebola-Sudan strain,” Atwine said.
Atwine said that the Ministry of Health and partners have dispatched a Rapid Response Team to Mubende District to support the teams in surveillance, contact tracing, and case management.
Ebola, which is spread by contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials, manifests as a deadly hemorrhagic fever. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and at times internal and external bleeding.
Uganda has had multiple Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2000 that killed hundreds.
