• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed an outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD), which is part of the Ebola virus family in Uganda.
• Health authorities in Kampala confirmed that one patient has died — a nurse who had sought treatment at various other medical facilities after developing fever-like symptoms.
• 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 area requires rapid and intense response.
• In response to the outbreak of the often deadly and infectious haemorrhagic fever, which is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and tissue, WHO is mobilising efforts to support national health authorities in swiftly containing and ending the outbreak.
Sudan Virus Disease
• 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.
• 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.
• Case fatality rates of SVD have varied from 41-100 per cent 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.
• 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.
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