Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in its capital, Kampala, after a nurse at Mulago National Referral Hospital succumbed to the infection on Wednesday, the health ministry announced.
The nurse, who initially sought treatment at multiple facilities, including Mulago, exhibited fever-like symptoms before her condition worsened.
“The patient experienced multi-organ failure and died at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Jan. 29. Post-mortem tests confirmed the Sudan Ebola Virus strain,” the ministry stated.
Ebola, a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever, spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissue. Symptoms include severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting blood, and internal bleeding.
Uganda’s last Ebola outbreak, which began in late 2022, was declared over on Jan. 11, 2023. That outbreak infected 143 people and claimed 55 lives, including six healthcare workers.