Ebola outbreak in Uganda has been contained, says Africa CDC

The Ebola outbreak in Uganda has been deemed "under control" by the African Union's health agency, with the organization highlighting the country's effective contact-tracing efforts as a key factor in this assessment, made on Thursday.

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The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo an international health emergency, with 635 confirmed infections and 127 deaths reported since May 15, the date the outbreak was announced.

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Uganda, meanwhile, has recorded a total of 19 cases, including two deaths, over the course of nearly a month, with almost all cases originating from Congolese nationals who crossed the border into Uganda.

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According to Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, "the outbreak is really under control in Uganda", with the country's efforts being praised, and Kaseya noting that "Uganda is doing a great job".

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Kampala has identified 792 contacts who are "under active follow-up", a crucial aspect of the country's strategy to contain the outbreak, as highlighted by Kaseya.

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During a visit to Uganda on Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended Kampala's approach, specifically pointing to a "case fatality rate… of less than one percent" as a notable achievement.

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The Africa CDC has set a benchmark of at least 40 contacts to be identified for each confirmed case, a target that the DRC has fallen short of, with fewer than 5,000 contacts traced, compared to the expected 24,000, according to Kaseya.

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Kaseya emphasized the importance of follow-up, stating "If we don’t follow up, it means there is a huge risk of transmission", highlighting the need for comprehensive contact tracing to prevent further spread of the outbreak.

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The epicentre of the outbreak is located in the DRC's eastern province of Ituri, where poor roads and insecurity, fueled by armed groups, severely hinder access and pose significant challenges to containment efforts.

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Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment available for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus responsible for the ongoing outbreak.

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Kaseya reiterated his call for a ceasefire in eastern DRC to prevent the further spread of the outbreak, emphasizing that "This outbreak doesn’t know who is rebel, who’s not rebel", in a bid to prioritize public health over conflict.

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Transmission of Ebola occurs through close contact and bodily fluids, and the virus has claimed the lives of over 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years, underscoring the need for continued vigilance and effective disease control measures.