Uganda Ebola Outbreak

Logan Antio

REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

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For the first time in over a decade, Uganda has confirmed cases of the rare Sudan strain of the Ebola Virus. The outbreak was declared after one 24-year-old man had died after displaying various symptoms of the virus, including vomiting blood, high fever, diarrhea, and stomach pain. On September 25, cases had risen to 36, with 18 probable cases, total deaths at 23, and five confirmed cases of Ebola. The virus began to spread to neighboring districts, initially starting in Mubende. The Ugandan Health Ministry has defined “probable cases” as one who died from a suspected case of Ebola or linked to a confirmed case. A “confirmed case” is someone that has tested positive inside of a lab.

The rare, contagious, Sudan strain of the Ebola Virus is said to be transmitted through the body fluids of infected people. The main symptoms of the virus include fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea. Other symptoms may include headaches, muscle pain, body weakness, sore throat, bloody stool or urine, and even bleeding from openings on the body. The case fatality rates of the strain varied from 41% to 100% in previous outbreaks. This is the first Sudan strain outbreak in Uganda in over a decade. Previously, the Sudan Ebola virus has caused multiple outbreaks, four of them being in Uganda and the others in Sudan, and have not been reported since 2012.