
Today the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are now seven cases of Ebola Sudan in Uganda's capital, Kampala, up from two just a couple days ago. The updated case numbers were presented during a WHO Information Network for Epidemics webinar, according to the infectious disease tracking forum FluTrackers.
The index case-patient was a 32-year-old male nurse who developed symptoms on January 19. He died 10 days later, with tests confirming Ebola Sudan. The second patient in the outbreak is the nurse's wife.
So far 298 contacts of the couple have been identified, with 7 confirmed cases. The WHO said there are two main clusters in the outbreak: a family cluster and a healthcare facility cluster. There are no further details on the healthcare facility cases, but the index patient visited a traditional healer and three separate health clinics before he died in Kampala.
Only the index patient has died, leaving the case-fatality rate (CFR) at 14.3%.
CDC issues health advisory
Today the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory on the outbreak—its first since the Trump administration issued a pause on the CDC and other federal agencies.
CDC is communicating with public health departments, public health and clinical laboratories, and healthcare workers in the United States and educating travelers to raise awareness of this outbreak.
"While there are no direct flights from Uganda to the United States, travelers from or passing through affected areas in Uganda can enter the United States on flights connecting from other countries," the HAN said. "CDC is communicating with public health departments, public health and clinical laboratories, and healthcare workers in the United States and educating travelers to raise awareness of this outbreak."
According to the CDC, previous Ebola Sudan outbreaks have a CFR of about 50%. Uganda last reported an Ebola outbreak in 2022, which included 164 cases and 55 deaths (34% CFR). Currently there are no suspected cases of this outbreak outside of Uganda.