Ebola Virus - Credit CDC
# 6750
Uganda’s second Ebola outbreak of the year continues in the Luweero and Kampala districts, with six confirmed cases over the past several weeks. The last Ebola update (along with an update on their Marburg virus outbreak) came a week ago (see WHO Update On Marburg Outbreak In Uganda).
Today the World Health Organization has released the following update, which encouragingly, hasn’t seen an increase in confirmed cases over the past week.
Ebola in Uganda - update
30 November 2012 - As of 28 November 2012, the Ministry of Health in Uganda reported 7 cases (6 confirmed, 1 probable) with Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Luweero and Kampala districts. Of these cases, 4 died.
Field teams continue to investigate cases alerted to them from the communities. The major challenge faced in some communities is the belief that witch-craft and not Ebola was the cause of deaths, despite ongoing intensive awareness campaigns. Social mobilization teams are working closely with traditional healers and religious leaders to raise awareness on prevention and control of the disease.
WHO and partners, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Uganda Red Cross (URCS), African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and Plan Uganda continue to support the national authorities in the response to the outbreak. Through WHO, an expert on infection prevention and control has been deployed to the field.
With respect to this event, WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restriction be applied to Uganda.
Note: The total number of cases reported on 23 November2012 was 10 (6 confirmed, 4 probable) Probable cases that tested negative for Ebola have been classified as Non-Cases and excluded from the case counts.
While the primary zoonotic reservoir for the Ebola virus has yet to be firmly established, bats are considered to be the most likely candidate. Intermediate hosts, which are often consumed as bushmeat, are also suspected as harboring these viruses.
There are currently five known strains of the disease, of which four are highly pathogenic in humans. The odd virus out - Ebola Reston - which can infect and kill non-human primates, has not been shown to produce disease in man.
