WHO accelerates efforts to support response to Sudan virus disease outbreak in Uganda

Brazzaville/Kampala – Following the confirmation of an outbreak of Sudan virus disease – which belongs to the same family as Ebola virus disease – in Uganda today, World Health Organization (WHO) is mobilizing efforts to support the national health authorities to swiftly contain and end the outbreak.

WHO is deploying senior public health experts and mobilizing staff from the country office to support all the key outbreak response measures. In addition, the Organization has allocated US$ 1 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to help accelerate early action, and is readying medical supplies, including personal protective equipment to deliver to Uganda from its Emergency Response Hub in Nairobi.

While there are no licensed vaccines for the Sudan virus disease, WHO is coordinating with developers to deploy candidate vaccines as an addition to the other public health measures. The vaccines will be deployed once all administrative and regulatory approvals are obtained.

So far one confirmed case – a nurse from Mulago National Referral Hospital in the capital Kampala – has been reported. No other health workers or patients have shown symptoms of the disease.  A total of 45 contacts, including health workers and family members of the confirmed case (deceased) have been identified and are currently under close monitoring. The identification of the case in a densely populated urban requires rapid and intense response.

“We welcome the prompt declaration of this outbreak, and as a comprehensive response is being established, we are supporting the government and partners to scale up measures to quicky identify cases, isolate and provide care, curb the spread of the virus and protect the population,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Uganda’s robust expertise in responding to public health emergencies will be crucial in ending this outbreak effectively.”

There have been eight previous outbreaks of the Sudan virus disease, with five occurring in Uganda and three in Sudan. Uganda last reported an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in 2022.

“Banking on the existing expertise, we are accelerating all efforts, including expertise, resources and tools to save lives and bring the outbreak to a halt swiftly,” said Dr Kasonde Mwinga, WHO Representative in Uganda.

Sudan virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates that is due to Orthoebolavirus sudanense (Sudan virus), a viral species belonging to the same genus of the virus causing Ebola virus disease.  Case fatality rates of Sudan virus disease have varied from 41% to 100% in past outbreaks. There are no approved treatments or vaccines for Sudan virus. Early initiation of supportive treatment has been shown to significantly reduce deaths from Sudan virus disease.