Kampala, Uganda – Health authorities in Uganda are intensifying their efforts to contain the latest Ebola outbreak, which has seen the number of confirmed cases rise to 9, with 265 others under quarantine and surveillance.

According to the Health Ministry, the 9 confirmed cases include the first victim, a male nurse who succumbed to the disease on January 29. The remaining 8 patients are receiving medical care and are reported to be in stable condition.

Seven of the patients are being treated at the main public hospital in Kampala, while one is being treated in the eastern district of Mbale. Health officials have assured that the situation is under control, despite the challenges posed by the highly mobile population of Kampala, which has a population of approximately 4 million.

Investigations into the outbreak’s source are ongoing, with officials tracing contacts and monitoring potential cases. The nurse who died had sought treatment in Kampala and later traveled to Mbale, where he was admitted to a public hospital. He had also visited a traditional healer, and his relatives are among those being treated for Ebola.

In response to the outbreak, authorities have launched a clinical study to test the safety and efficacy of a trial vaccine. While there are no approved vaccines for the Sudan strain of Ebola, which is responsible for the current outbreak, officials are hopeful that the trial vaccine will help stem the spread of the disease.

The current outbreak is the second to affect Uganda in recent years, following an outbreak in September 2022 that killed at least 55 people. Ebola is a highly infectious disease that is spread through contact with bodily fluids or contaminated materials, and symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and internal and external bleeding.

As the situation continues to unfold, health officials are urging the public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.