Ebola outbreak almost under control in Uganda, says WHO
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Ebola epidemic is on the verge of being brought under control in Uganda, with the last case dating back some 40 days, the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed here Saturday.
Ir stressed that the epidemic would be declared under control if no infection was reported by Tuesday 10 January.
"The Ebola virus has not been detected in Uganda since 27 November. If this situation continues and there are no cases by the beginning of next week, the epidemic will be declared over," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, calling it "good news".
On 20 September 2022, Ugandan health authorities declared an outbreak of Sudanese Ebola virus (EVD), after a case managed at the Mubende Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in Mubende district was confirmed.
But in December 2022, Uganda discharged its last known Ebola patient from the hospital.
Citing media reports, the UN said Kampala had lifted all Ebola-related movement restrictions, reflecting progress in stemming the spread of the virus.
On the ground, the number of infections and deaths has fallen after a first virulent wave. The overall toll now stands at 55 deaths and 142 infections, according to the joint report by the WHO and the Ugandan Ministry of Health.
"The last confirmed case was 38 days ago and this makes 110 days since the start of the epidemic," the WHO said in its latest situation report dated 6 January and data compiled on 4 January.
No new confirmed cases or deaths have been recorded, the UN agency added.
"While no active contacts are currently being monitored, the case fatality rate among confirmed cases is still close to 40%," the WHO said, noting that "if no new cases are reported by 10 January, the end of the epidemic will be declared on 11 January".
According to WHO guidelines, a country is declared Ebola-free if no infections are reported for 42 days. On 22 December, the WHO handed over to the Ministry of Health a batch of more than 4,100 additional doses of two candidate vaccines against the Sudanese strain of Ebola.
In terms of surveillance, more than 15,000 people have been screened at nine entry points in the country, where 38 health alerts have been reviewed, "although none of them meet the definition of a suspected case".
-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/BBA/RA 7Jan2023
