Nurse dies in Uganda in first Ebola virus outbreak since 2022
Independent6 days
Uganda Declares Ebola Outbreak
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Above: Permanent Secretary of the Uganda Ministry of Health, Diana Kanzira Atwine, addresses the press on the Ebola outbreak on Jan. 30, 2025, in Kampala, Uganda. Image copyright: Hajarah Nalwadda/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Uganda on Thursday declared an Ebola outbreak in the capital, Kampala, with the first confirmed patient, a 32-year-old male nurse, dying from the Sudan strain of the virus on Wednesday. This is the first fatality since the country's last outbreak ended in early 2023.
The Sudan strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine, manifests as a hemorrhagic fever with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and potential internal and external bleeding.
Health authorities have identified 44 contacts for tracing, including 30 health workers and patients at Mulago Hospital, while the infected nurse had sought treatment at multiple locations and consulted a traditional healer before his death.
The Spin
Narrative A
Despite the death of a nurse from Ebola, health authorities are in full control of the situation. Rapid response teams have been mobilized, and established protocols are in place based on lessons learned from previous outbreaks, highlighting Uganda's improved capacity to handle such health emergencies.
Narrative B
The outbreak poses significant challenges due to Kampala's dense population. While the lack of an approved vaccine complicates containment efforts in the urban setting, the death raises concerns about the effectiveness of ongoing health measures as well as underscores the continuing global threat posed by the virus.
