The World Health Organization reported that six new cases of Ebola have been detected in Uganda. The country also reported its first fatality from the disease since 2019.
Uganda has declared an Ebola outbreak in the district of Mubende on Tuesday over the case of a 24 year-old man.
So far, seven cases, including one death, have been confirmed to have contracted the Sudan ebolavirus,” the WHO said in a statement.
“Forty-three contacts have been identified and 10 people suspected to have caught the virus are receiving treatment at the regional referral hospital in Mubende,” it added.
WHO experts are now in Uganda to help in the surveillance of the highly contagious virus.
“Our experts are already on the ground working with Uganda’s experienced Ebola control teams to reinforce surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures,” Abdou Salam Gueye, regional emergency director with the WHO Regional Office for Africa said.
Uganda has experienced a number of Ebola outbreaks since 2019.
Ebola is a fatal viral hemorrhagic fever. The death rate for the disease is over 90 percent.
