KAMPALA, Uganda — On Tuesday, the final eight patients who had battled Ebola were officially released from medical care, signaling a significant recovery from the outbreak that had been declared only a month prior, according to health officials.
The World Health Organization praised this achievement as a significant milestone, highlighting the effectiveness of Uganda’s prompt and coordinated response to the health crisis.
Most individuals infected with the virus were treated at the primary referral center located in the capital city of Kampala.
The only fatality tied to this particular outbreak was a male nurse who passed away just a day before the announcement of the outbreak on January 30. His family members later fell ill and were admitted to hospitals for treatment.
Tracing contacts has proven essential in controlling the spread of the virus, known to cause viral hemorrhagic fever symptoms. Ugandan health authorities have recorded a total of 265 contacts stemming from the initial case, with a minimum of 90 individuals completing a quarantine period during which they were closely monitored for any signs of the disease, as stated by Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng during a press conference.
Currently, there are no approved vaccinations specific to the Sudan strain of Ebola that surfaced in this outbreak. Nevertheless, health officials have initiated a clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a potential experimental vaccine, which is part of an ongoing effort to halt the outbreak’s progress.
The previous Ebola outbreak in Uganda, which started in September 2022, resulted in the deaths of no fewer than 55 individuals before it was officially declared over after four months.
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with contaminated objects, and symptoms can range from fever and vomiting to diarrhea and severe muscle pain, sometimes leading to internal and external bleeding.
Researchers believe that the initial person infected during an Ebola outbreak likely contracts the virus through direct contact with an infected animal or by consuming its raw meat.
The Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 during concurrent outbreaks in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, near a small village alongside the Ebola River, which ultimately lent its name to the disease.
