Uganda declares end of 6th Ebola outbreak

Uganda declared the tip of an Ebola virus outbreak Saturday, which has killed a minimum of two individuals within the east African nation since late January.

The announcement got here 42 days after the discharge of the final confirmed affected person from hospital.

The outbreak marked the sixth time Uganda was affected by the lethal virus that has six completely different strains, three of which have brought on main epidemics.

“Throughout this outbreak, 14 circumstances, 12 confirmed and two not confirmed by laboratory checks (possible), had been reported. 4 deaths, two confirmed and two possible, occurred. Ten individuals recovered from the an infection,” the World Well being Group stated in a press release.

The confirmed circumstances of the Sudan Ebola pressure resulted within the dying of a four-year-old youngster and a nurse.

A number of dozens of individuals had been additionally monitored after coming in touch with the illness, in keeping with the African Union’s well being company (Africa CDC).

“The present Ebola Sudan Virus Illness outbreak has formally come to an finish,” Uganda’s well being ministry stated on X.

“This follows 42 days with out a new case for the reason that final confirmed affected person was discharged on March 14 2025.”

World Well being Group chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus applauded the well being ministry for its “management and dedication” in overcoming the outbreak.

“Congratulations to the federal government and well being staff of #Uganda on ending the #Ebola outbreak,” he stated on X on Saturday.

There’s at present no accepted vaccine for the Ebola-Sudan pressure.

However a vaccination trial for the pressure was launched within the nation in February. It was praised by the World Well being Group because the “quickest roll-out” of an Ebola vaccine trial within the midst of an epidemic.

However the worldwide context for funding such well being efforts is proving difficult.

In early March, the United Nations launched a name to lift $11.2 million to handle this epidemic after the USA introduced the cessation of most of its humanitarian help.

Ebola is transmitted between individuals by physique fluids. People who find themselves contaminated don’t change into contagious till the looks of signs—primarily fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhea—which happen after an incubation interval of between two and 21 days.

Greater than 15,000 individuals in Africa have died of Ebola, all six strains mixed, prior to now half-century.

© 2025 AFP