Health
Uganda confirms fatal Ebola case in Kampala
Uganda has confirmed a case of Ebola virus in its capital, Kampala, according to health officials. The patient died after seeking treatment at multiple facilities.
The case was confirmed by Uganda’s Health Ministry on Thursday. The patient, a 32-year-old male nurse employed at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, initially developed fever-like symptoms and sought treatment at several health facilities and from a traditional healer.
The patient presented with a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, which later progressed to bleeding from multiple body sites, according to the ministry. He experienced multi-organ failure and died at Mulago Hospital on Wednesday. Post-mortem samples confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
A total of 45 contacts, including health workers, patients, and family members, have been identified and are currently under close monitoring, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Vaccination of all identified contacts against EVD is set to begin soon.
There have been eight previous outbreaks of the Sudan Ebola virus, with five occurring in Uganda and three in Sudan, according to WHO. Uganda last reported an outbreak of EVD in 2022.
“Banking on the existing expertise, we are accelerating all efforts, including expertise, resources, and tools to save lives and bring the outbreak to a halt swiftly,” said Dr. Kasonde Mwinga, a WHO Representative in Uganda.
Sudan Ebola virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates. It is caused by Orthoebolavirus sudanense (Sudan virus), a viral species belonging to the same genus as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Case fatality rates for Sudan virus disease have ranged from 41% to 100% in past outbreaks.
The last outbreak in Uganda, in 2022, resulted in 77 deaths out of 164 cases across nine districts. In Kampala, there were 19 reported cases, including three deaths, according to a post-evaluation study published in The Lancet.
Municipal building in western Mexico hit by drone-dropped explosives
Understanding the Impact of Economic Conditions on Consumer Spending
California man sentenced for threatening to kill postal workers in U.S. Virgin Islands
Pentagon deploying additional 2,000 troops to Los Angeles
-
Legal23 hours ago2 people killed, including YouTuber, in Las Vegas Strip shooting
-
US News6 days agoDamaging tornado reported in the Quad Cities region
-
Breaking News1 week agoMultiple injured in ‘targeted terror attack’ at Jewish event in Boulder, Colorado
-
US News4 days agoObserved tornado warning issued for Lubbock, Texas
-
US News6 days agoTornado reported near Norman, Oklahoma
-
US News1 day agoSkydiving plane carrying 20 people crashes in Tullahoma, Tennessee
-
Politics5 days agoTrump signs new travel ban affecting nearly 20 countries
-
Legal3 days agoFamily of four found dead in suspected murder-suicide in Virginia