The Ministry of Health has announced an outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SVD) in Kampala after confirmation from three National Reference Laboratories.
According to Dr. Diana Atwine, the Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, the first confirmed case, known as the index case, was a 32-year-old male nurse employed at Mulago National Referral Hospital. He initially developed fever-like symptoms and sought treatment at 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.
Dr. Atwine explained that the patient presented with a five-day history of high fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. His condition later worsened, leading to unexplained bleeding from multiple body sites. He experienced multi-organ failure and passed away at Mulago National Referral Hospital on January 29, 2025. Post-mortem samples confirmed that he had contracted Sudan Ebola Virus Disease.
“At present, no other healthcare worker or patient on the ward has shown symptoms of Ebola,” Dr. Atwine stated.
In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has taken immediate action, including activating the Incident Management Team and deploying Rapid Response Teams to Mbale City and Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Matugga. A total of 44 contacts have been identified, including 30 healthcare workers and patients from Mulago, 11 family members of the deceased, and four healthcare workers from Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital.
The deceased will be given a safe and dignified burial to prevent the spread of the disease. Additionally, vaccination of all identified contacts against Ebola Virus Disease will begin immediately.
Sudan Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness caused by the Sudan ebolavirus, a strain of the Ebola virus. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and internal or external bleeding. The virus is transmitted from infected animals, particularly fruit bats, to humans and can spread through close contact or exposure to bodily fluids of an infected person.
The Ministry of Health urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases to health authorities promptly.
