Uganda’s Ministry of Health has confirmed a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the capital, Kampala, following the death of a 32-year-old male nurse. The victim, who exhibited symptoms including high fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and severe bleeding, succumbed to multi-organ failure on Wednesday at Mulago National Hospital.

This marks Uganda’s eighth recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first detected in the country in 2000. The latest outbreak involves the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SUDV), a highly infectious strain that spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no approved vaccine for SUDV.

Before his death, the nurse visited multiple healthcare facilities, including a public hospital in Mbale, near the Kenyan border, and even sought treatment from a traditional healer. The Ministry of Health has identified 44 contacts, including 30 healthcare workers, for urgent tracing, as health officials scramble to contain the outbreak.

Kampala’s status as a major regional travel hub poses a significant challenge to containment efforts. The city of over four million people facilitates frequent movement to neighboring countries such as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.

Uganda’s last Ebola outbreak, which also involved the Sudan strain, occurred in September 2022 and lasted four months before being declared over. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that Ebola has an average fatality rate of 50%, though past outbreaks have ranged from 25% to 90%, depending on the response.

Health authorities have deployed rapid response teams to prevent further spread, emphasizing the importance of early detection, isolation, and contact tracing in managing the outbreak.