KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan authorities have commenced a clinical trial of a vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola, following an outbreak that has resulted in one confirmed fatality in the capital, Kampala. The vaccine trial started on Monday, just days after the death of a nurse from the virus, and it targets health workers and individuals who were exposed to the disease.
The trial comes in the wake of the first fatality, with authorities confirming two more cases on Monday in relatives of the initial victim. The source of the outbreak is still under investigation, with Ebola spreading primarily through contact with bodily fluids from infected persons or contaminated materials.
The Challenge of Controlling Ebola in a Highly Mobile Population
Responding to the outbreak in Kampala is particularly challenging due to the city’s high population mobility. The deceased nurse had received treatment at a hospital just outside the capital, later traveling to Mbale in eastern Uganda, where he was admitted to another public hospital. Health authorities have also noted that the nurse sought help from a traditional healer.
The Ministry of Health has identified at least 234 individuals who may have come into contact with the virus. These individuals are being closely monitored.
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Sudan Strain Vaccine Trial Begins
Ugandan health officials have access to over 2,000 doses of a candidate vaccine against the Sudan strain of Ebola, provided by IAVI (International AIDS Vaccine Initiative). This vaccine trial marks a significant milestone in the global response to public health emergencies and highlights the importance of international collaboration in fighting disease outbreaks.
Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s Director for Africa, hailed the vaccine trial as a major step in addressing the outbreak. “This demonstrates the power of collaboration for global health security,” she said in a statement.
Uganda’s Ongoing Ebola Response
This is the latest in a series of Ebola outbreaks in Uganda, with the country having faced several outbreaks in the past, including one in 2000 that claimed hundreds of lives. A key component of stopping the spread of Ebola is contact tracing, which is being rigorously carried out as part of the current response.
Historical Context of Ebola in Uganda and the Region
Uganda’s Ebola outbreak is the latest in a string of viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in East Africa. Earlier this year, Tanzania declared an outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg disease, while Rwanda recently announced that its Marburg outbreak had ended.
Ebola was first discovered in 1976 during simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and Congo, both of which occurred near the Ebola River, after which the disease is named. Scientists still do not fully understand the natural reservoir of the virus, but it is believed that human infections typically arise from contact with infected animals or their raw meat.
