ProMED Disease Outbreak Update

Confirmed Ebola cases in Uganda.

Information available within this Disease Outbreak Update is produced by Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED).

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Ebola

Location

Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda
 

Outbreak Update

Confirmation of case of Ebola virus disease in Uganda, WHO AFRO, 11 June 2019

The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) have confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in Uganda. Although there have been numerous previous alerts, this is the 1st confirmed case in Uganda during the Ebola outbreak on-going in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The confirmed case is a 5-year-old child from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who travelled with his family on 9th June 2019. The child and his family entered the country through Bwera Border post and sought medical care at Kagando hospital where health workers identified Ebola as a possible cause of illness.
 

Outbreak Response

The child was transferred to Bwera Ebola Treatment Unit for management. The confirmation was made today by the Uganda Virus Institute (UVRI). The child is under care and receiving supportive treatment at Bwera ETU, and contacts are being monitored.

The Ministry of Health and WHO have dispatched a Rapid Response Team to Kasese to identify other people who may be at risk, and ensure they are monitored and provided with care if they also become ill. Uganda has previous experience managing Ebola outbreaks. In preparation for a possible imported case during the current outbreak in DRC, Uganda has vaccinated nearly 4700 health workers in 165 health facilities (including in the facility where the child is being cared for); disease monitoring has been intensified; and health workers trained on recognizing symptoms of the disease. Ebola Treatment Units are in place.

In response to this case, the Ministry is intensifying community education, psychosocial support and will undertake vaccination for those who have come into contact with the patient and at-risk health workers who were not previously vaccinated.

See also DRC Ministry of Health report, 11 June 2019

 

News Updates

STAT News Health officials ramp up Ebola response after first cases reported in Uganda

Washington Post First confirmed Ebola case in Uganda dies and two others discovered as Congo outbreak spreads

 

See the full ProMED post here

On 12 June 2019, WHO Uganda issued a statement from the Ugandan Minsiter of Health Jane Ruth Aceng: "The young patient - 5- year-old index case of #Ebola died last night. Two more samples were sent to UVRI and have tested positive. We, therefore, have three confirmed cases of #Ebola in #Uganda". See here.

See also DRC Ministry of Health report, 12 June 2019:

The first confirmed case of Ebola in Uganda, a five-year-old boy, passed away on the morning of Wednesday, June 12, 2019. His dignified and safe burial will be on Thursday, June 13, 2019 in Kasese, the district where he resided with his parents.

Laboratory tests have confirmed that of the six family members who have crossed the border, two others are also infected with Ebola. This is the 50-year-old grandmother and the 3-year-old brother of the deceased boy. Of the six family members left in Kasindi and transferred to the Beni Ebola Treatment Center, five were tested positive. Around this family, about 50 contacts were listed in Kasese on the Ugandan side and 80 contacts in Kasindi on the Congolese side. Kasindi's vaccination ring was opened on Wednesday.


Information available within this Disease Outbreak Update is produced by Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED).

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.