By Flavia Ajok
At least one person has died from Ebola virus in Kampala, the Ministry of Health has said.
The outbreak of the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SVD) in Kampala was confirmed after laboratory tests from three National Reference Laboratories returned positive results.
Addressing the media earlier today, Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine provided details about the case and outlined measures to contain the outbreak.
The confirmed case is a 32-year-old male nurse at Mulago National Referral Hospital who initially developed fever-like symptoms.
Seeking treatment, he visited multiple health facilities, including Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga, Wakiso District, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Mbale City. He also consulted a traditional healer.
His symptoms included a high fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, which worsened over five days and led to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites.
Despite receiving medical attention, he suffered multi-organ failure and died on January 29, 2025, at Mulago National Referral Hospital. Post-mortem samples confirmed that he had Sudan Ebola Virus Disease.
At this time, no additional health workers or patients from the ward have exhibited Ebola symptoms.
However, precautionary measures have been put in place to prevent further spread.
Dr. Atwine announced that the Ministry of Health has activated a comprehensive response, including an Incident Management Team and Rapid Response Teams deployed to Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga.
So far, 44 contacts of the deceased have been identified, including 30 health workers and patients from Mulago, 11 family members, and four health workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital.
To prevent further infections, the deceased will receive a safe and dignified burial under strict health protocols. A vaccination campaign for all identified contacts is set to begin immediately.
The Ministry of Health has urged the public to remain calm and adhere to preventive measures, including maintaining personal hygiene, avoiding direct contact with suspected Ebola patients or their belongings, and seeking immediate medical attention for any flu-like symptoms.
Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SVD) is a severe and often fatal illness caused by the Sudan virus (SUDV), one of the six species of Ebolavirus.
