Uganda confirms Ebola Outbreak

Uganda through the  Ministry of Health has confirmed the outbreak of Ebola disease in the country.

Addressing journalists this morning, the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr. Diana Atwiine said the first case has been confirmed in Mubende district.

Dr. Atwiine says samples tested by Uganda Virus Research Institute show that the virus is a Sudan strain.

She adds that the confirmed case is of a 24-year-old male, a resident Ngabano village, Madudu sub-county in Mubende district who presented with Ebola symptoms and later died.

“The district rapid response team of Mubende initiated investigations as they had been informed of the community deaths and these reports were specifically talking about a strange illness and sudden death in the villages of Madudu and Kiruma sub-counties. The district went on ground and verified the death as follows; a total of six deaths had occurred in Kiruma and Madudu; three were adults and three were children and these deaths occurred between 1^st and 15^th September,” said Dr. Atwiine.

Dr. Atwine has now called for calm and extra vigilance from Ugandans. She says the ministry is working with partners who have instituted preliminary containment measures to control the spread of the contagious disease.