Ebola outbreak confirmed in Uganda as health officials move to contain spread

Ugandan health authorities have confirmed an Ebola outbreak in the capital, Kampala.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Health Ministry said laboratory tests identified cases in a district within central Uganda.

The confirmed case is a 32-year-old male nurse at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala. He presented symptoms consistent with Ebola, including high fever, chest pains, and difficulty breathing, before succumbing to the illness on January 29, 2025.

To curb the spread, the Ugandan government has activated the Incident Management Team and dispatched Rapid Response Teams to Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga to trace and isolate contacts.

So far, 45 contacts have been listed, including 30 health workers and patients from Mulago, 11 family members of the deceased, and four health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital.

“Facilities have been identified for isolating all listed contacts. Any contact developing symptoms will be transferred to a designated isolation center. The Health Ministry is also organizing a dignified burial of the deceased to prevent further spread,” officials said.

Vaccination of all contacts of the deceased against Ebola virus is set to commence immediately with available doses of the vaccine prioritized  for contacts and health workers.

Additionally, an epidemiological team has been deployed to activate Regional Emergency Operation Centers in Kampala and Mbale.

Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant by avoiding physical contact with individuals exhibiting Ebola symptoms and maintaining strict hand hygiene.