Uganda
Is Ebola spreading from Gulu?

afrol.com, 2 November - Contradicting the latest reports of success in fighting Ebola in Gulu, there is now proof that the Ebola virus has spread from the Northern Ugandan town of Gulu to locations as far away as Mbarara in the South-West.

While the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirms that there has been one case of Ebola in Mabarara, the Ugandan Ministry of Health today only would confirm that one suspected "case has been identified in Mbarara district, investigations are continuing to confirm the case." The WHO reports that a sample was tested by its laboratory established in Gulu and Ebola virus was found in the sample. 

Today, the Ministry also confirmed that it continues "to receive reports of suspected cases from other parts of the country," but assured that "these are being investigated promptly." 

According to the BBC, the one reported dead in Mabarara was "soldier who had been at the army barracks in Gulu" and he "became ill after moving to the barracks in Mbarara." The soldier died last Friday about five days after showing typical Ebola symptoms.

Victims number continues to increase
Against the good odds given the controlling of the Ebola outbreak in Gulu just one week ago, victims numbers continue to increase. The massive effort of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, experienced NGOs and the World Health Organisation (WHO) had been showing successes in limiting the outbreak. Still increasing numbers were attributed to "the intensified active surveillance".

Ward, Gulu Hospital — Source: WHO

The good news, however, is that so far 117 people have recovered from the disease, according to information from the Ugandan Health Ministry. This fact may be attributed to the firm and well organised response to the outbreak, but also to the less fatal strain of the virus in Uganda. 

The Ebola strain in Uganda is a variety of the Sudan strain, with a fatality of between 50-70% in disease outbreaks in southern Sudan in 1976 and 1979. The strain appears to be somewhat less virulent than the Ebola-Zaire strain, which has caused epidemics in Congo Kinshasa (former Zaire) and Gabon with a case-fatality rate of between 70-90%, according to WHO. The Ugandan variety may seem to be even more controllable than the typical Sudan strain.

Ebola haemorrhagic fever
This is the first time Ebola has struck in Uganda. The most-affected areas include Rwot Obilo in Aswa County, Kabedo Opong, Kasubi and Kirombe from the Gulu town Municipality in the country's north. However, the Gulu region is located relatively close to the two, former core areas of the disease, Southern Sudan and Eastern Congo Kinshasa (DRC).

The Ebola virus was first identified in a western equatorial province of Sudan and in a nearby region of the DRC in 1976 after significant epidemics in Yamkubu (Northern DRC) and Nzara (Southern Sudan). Between June and November 1976 the Ebola virus infected 284 people in Sudan, with 117 deaths. In the DRC there were 318 cases and 280 deaths in September and October. A large epidemic later occurred in Kikwit in the DRC in 1995 with 315 cases, 244 with fatal outcomes. 

Ebola spreads via direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of infected people, and there is currently no treatment or vaccination available for the Ebola virus. The origin of the virus and why it flares up is unknown. Symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, weakness, headache, muscle abdominal pain and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and internal and external bleeding. 

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