Uganda’s ministry of health has confirmed a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the capital, Kampala, with one reported death.
The victim was a 32-year-old male nurse whose symptoms included “high fever, chest pain, and difficulty in breathing” and “bleeding from multiple body sites”.
He died of multi-organ failure on Wednesday at Mulango National Hospital, located in the city’s central business district.
This marks Uganda’s eighth recorded Ebola outbreak since the first infection was documented in 2000.
The Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SUDV) is a highly infectious haemorrhagic fever which is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues. It is one of several strains of the Ebola virus known to cause outbreaks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, on average, the virus claims the lives of five out of every ten infected individuals, though previous outbreaks have seen fatality rates fluctuate between 25% and 90%, depending on response efforts and medical intervention.
Earlier in January, neighboring Tanzania confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in its northwest Kagera region. Uganda recorded three fatalities in 2017 due to this disease.
Nurse dies as Uganda confirms new Ebola outbreak https://t.co/sxnKk30Qij
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 30, 2025
