Uganda
Ebola in Uganda the less fatal strain 

afrol.com, 20 October - The Ugandan Ministry of Health has now reported 111 cases, including 41 deaths, making it the the fourth biggest outbreak in history, so far. Although the victims number is still, there is good news. The strain of the virus has been identified as the Sudan strain, significantly less fatal than the Congo strain.

BBC today reports that the head of a team from the US Centers for Disease Control, Pierre Rollin, told them the virus was Ebola Sudan - one of three strains of the deadly haemorrhagic fever. While Ebola Congo is the most deadly strain known to date, proving fatal in just under 90% of those who contracted, Ebola Sudan in some cases has had a death toll of 60%.

On Monday 16 October, the WHO Collaborating Centre, the National Institute for Virology, South Africa confirmed the first cases of Ebola reported in Uganda, in Gulu district. The number of victims has been steadily rising, now being 111 confirmed cases, including 41 deaths.

Well organised actions prove successful
A rapid response team from WHO Headquarters was dispatched on Monday afternoon to support the WHO Office in Uganda and the Ugandan Ministry of Health. The team left with over 600 kg of protective equipment, including disposable masks, gloves and gowns. This equipment is adequate to meet the needs of the initial phase of the response. WHO has sent an additional 1 370 kg of protective equipment which will arrive in the next two days.

The WHO team in Gulu has reported that the isolation units in Lacor St. Mary's and Gulu General Hospitals are clean, well organized and well supplied. Cases are being managed effectively. The units are being strengthened by personnel from WHO, WHO Collaborating Centre at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) United States, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) Italy and Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) International. 

The swift action by the Ugandan Ministry of Health and the WHO seems to be successful. Together with the fact that it is an outbreak of the less fatal strain, this has contributed to a mortality rate well below what is normal in an Ebola outbreak. A senior WHO official, Dr Guenael Rodier, said the facilities in Uganda "are outstanding compared to the classic Ebola situation," the Associated Press news agency reported. 

Further, the international health organisations now seem well prepared to meet such a crisis. There are teams of health personnel, experiences from earlier outbreaks, that can leave to a crisis region immediately. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) quickly sent an experienced team to Gulu. 

- MSF has experience in handling Ebola outbreaks as well as other hemorrhagic fevers like Marburg, Yellow Fever and Rift Valley Fever, the aid organisation informed. "Some members of the staff heading to this outbreak have specific experience with Ebola and Marburg. MSF was in Kikwit, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1995 when the Ebola outbreak killed 244 people. Last year, MSF also dealt with the Marburg outbreak in Durba, DRC."

Ugandan authorities moved swiftly to isolate the infected area to stop the spread to other areas. The crisis is far from over and numbers are expected to still increase, but the situation is getting under control.

A report of a possible Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Kitgum town has been invalidated by WHO staff, which travelled to Kitgum to investigate the report but "found no evidence of current disease activity."

Source: Based on WHO and MSF

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