The Ministry of Health has confirmed an outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Uganda, marking the country’s eighth recorded Ebola outbreak. The announcement follows laboratory confirmation from three national reference laboratories: the Central Public Health Laboratory in Kampala, the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe, and Makerere University.
The confirmed case, identified as the index case, is a 32-year-old male nurse employed at Mulago National Referral Hospital. According to the Ministry of Health, the nurse developed fever-like symptoms and sought treatment at multiple health facilities, including Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. He also visited a traditional healer before his condition worsened.
The patient experienced a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing, later progressing to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites. He succumbed to multi-organ failure on January 29, 2025, at Mulago National Referral Hospital. Post-mortem samples confirmed Sudan Ebola Virus Disease. The ministry assured the public that no other healthcare worker or patient on the ward has presented symptoms of Ebola so far.
In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has activated its Incident Management Team and dispatched Rapid Response Teams to affected locations, including Kampala, Wakiso, and Mbale. A total of 44 contacts have been listed for monitoring 30 from Mulago Hospital, 11 family members of the deceased, and four health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital.
To contain the spread, the government has designated isolation facilities for all listed contacts and will transfer symptomatic individuals to specialized centres. The ministry has also initiated plans for a dignified burial of the deceased to prevent further transmission.
Additionally, vaccination against Ebola Virus Disease will begin immediately, prioritizing health workers and close contacts of the deceased. Epidemiologists have been deployed to activate the Regional Emergency Operation Centers in Kampala and Mbale.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health Dr Diana Atwine Aceng has urged healthcare workers to maintain strict infection prevention measures and promptly report any suspected cases. Private clinics and hospitals have been instructed to adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and district leaders in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Mbale City, Mbale District, and Mpigi have been directed to activate task forces to monitor and report potential cases.
Dr Atwine has advised the public to: Avoid physical contact with individuals exhibiting Ebola symptoms. Maintain hand hygiene by washing hands regularly with soap and water or using alcohol-based sanitizers. Avoid direct contact with bodily fluids from suspected Ebola patients. And refrain from handling the bodies of suspected or confirmed Ebola victims. All burials should be conducted under the supervision of health authorities.
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