WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 06: 03 - 09 February 2025
Data as reported by: 17:00; 09 February 2025
...
Uganda
Sudan Virus Disease
9 cases
1 Death
11.1% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
The outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) declared
by the Ministry of Health of Uganda continues with
new cases reported over the past week. During
epidemiological week 6 (03 – 09 February 2025), seven
(7) new confirmed cases were reported from five districts
across the country. The new cases were reported among
contacts of the index case. This brings to five the total
number of districts affected across the country.
From 30 January to 09 February, a total of nine (9)
confirmed cases with one (1) death (CFR 11.1%) have
been reported from five districts in the country, namely;
Wakiso (n=4), Kampala (n=2), Mbale (n=1), Jinja (n=1),
and Mukono (n=1). The index case died and was
accorded a safe and dignified burial on 31 January
2025. The remaining eight confirmed cases are currently
admitted in SVD treatment units and receiving care at the
Mulango National Referral Hospital (n=7) and the Mbale
Regional Referral Hospital (n=1).
A total of 308 contacts have so far been identified as
of 09 February 2025. Of these, 265 high-risk contacts
have been quarantined at designated facilities. Contact
tracing activities are ongoing with identification and daily
follow up of contacts.
The outbreak was initially detected following postmortem
laboratory confirmation of Sudan virus infection
on 30 January 2025 through real-time polymerase chain
reaction (RT-PCR) tests in a 32-year-old male nurse,
resident of Wakiso District, Central Region, Uganda.
Results of genomic sequencing conducted at the
Uganda Virus Research Institute shows that the virus
is closely related to a strain which emerged in Luwero
District, Uganda, in May 2011, suggesting that the
current outbreak is not link to the recent 2022 outbreak
and may have originated from a separate spill-over
event.
SVD belongs to the same family as Ebola Virus Disease,
both classified as filoviruses. This is the sixth outbreak of
SVD in Uganda, the most recent outbreak was reported
in September 2022, involving 164 cases with 55 deaths
before being declared over.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
The national incident management team, led by the
Ministry of Health of Uganda with technical support from
WHO and its health partners, continues to coordinate
the response to the SVD outbreak. At the subnational
level, district-level task forces are coordinating response
efforts, with technical and operational support from
national-level rapid response teams.
On 3 February 2025, following the necessary
administrative, ethical, and regulatory approvals, Uganda
launched a ring vaccination campaign targeting primary
and secondary contacts using a candidate vaccine.
Nine vaccination rings have been established, with six
randomized for the clinical trial.
Active surveillance is ongoing, with alerts reported daily
by communities and investigated by surveillance officers
to assess whether the outbreak case definition is met.
Suspected cases are being routinely sampled and tested
to rule out SVD infection. As of 9 February 2025, a total of
272 samples from six districts have been tested.
Contact tracing continues across the affected districts,
with 308 contacts identified and under daily monitoring.
Of these, 265 contacts are currently quarantined at
designated facilities. Ninety-nine per cent (99%) of the
contacts were physically monitored within the last 24
hours as of 9 February 2025.
Three treatment units at Mulango, Mbale, and Jinja
isolation centers have been set up for case management,
with bed capacities of 84, 28, and 8 respectively. As of
9 February 2025, eight (8) confirmed and 13 suspected
cases were admitted across the three centers.
Daily infection prevention and control (IPC) drills are
being conducted for all health workers at the treatment
sites. These drills focus on IPC practices, including the
proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and
the preparation of chlorine solutions for disinfection.
Compliance with standard precautions and transmission
based precautions is being reinforced through routine
supervision and monitoring in health facilities in the
affected districts.
Risk communication and community engagement
activities have been intensified, with widespread
messaging through mass media, community dialogues,
and awareness meetings in churches, markets, schools,
and other community gatherings.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
The Ugandan authorities, with support from WHO and
health partners, are scaling up measures to control the
current outbreak of SVD, leveraging past experience
and expertise. The robust surveillance and response
strategies implemented so far are commendable.
The launch of a vaccination trial early in the response
demonstrates how preparedness activities, including research, remain vital to controlling epidemics and mitigating
their impacts. While this trial provides an opportunity to assess the efficacy of the vaccine under outbreak conditions,
potentially providing a tool for future SVD outbreaks, the success of the vaccination trial will depend on several factors,
including the ability to quickly identify contacts, ensure their participation in the vaccination, and maintain high levels
of surveillance and monitoring throughout the process. Vaccination, a crucial component of outbreak control, should
be seen as part of a broader strategy that includes robust surveillance (active case search and contact tracing),
case management, effective infection prevention and control, and heightened risk communication and community
engagement.
https://www.afro.who.int/countries/...other-emergencies-week-06-03-09-february-2025
