Sudan Ebola Outbreak Declared in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today the Uganda Virus Research Institute confirmed a Sudan ebolavirus case after testing a sample taken from a 24-year-old male in Mubende district in the central part of the country.

The confirmation on September 20, 2022, follows an investigation by the National Rapid Response team of six suspicious deaths in the district in September 2022.

Furthermore, the WHO stated eight suspected cases are receiving care in a health facility.

Uganda last reported a Sudan ebolavirus outbreak in 2012.

"This is the first time in more than a decade that Uganda is recording an outbreak of Sudan ebolavirus," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a press release.

"Uganda is no stranger to effective Ebola control."

"We are working closely with the national health authorities to investigate the source of this outbreak while supporting the efforts to roll out effective control measures quickly."

There have been seven previous outbreaks of the Sudan ebolavirus, with four occurring in Uganda and three in Sudan.

While ring vaccination of high-risk people with the Ervebo (rVSV-ZEBOV) vaccine has been highly effective in controlling the spread of Zaire Ebola in recent African outbreaks, Merck's Ervebo vaccine has not been approved to protect against the Sudan virus.

Another vaccine produced by Johnson and Johnson (Zabdeno and Mvabea) may be effective but has yet to be tested explicitly against Ebola Sudan.

Ebola is a severe illness affecting humans and other primates. It has six species, three of which (Bundibugyo, Sudan, and Zaire) have previously caused large outbreaks.

Case fatality rates of the Sudan virus have varied from 41% to 100% in past outbreaks.

The WHO published the first version of the Clinical Management for EVD living guidance on August 19, 2022, containing recommendations regarding the use of therapeutics, including two strong recommendations for the use of monoclonal antibody therapies, such as Ebanga.

Other Ebola vaccine and outbreak news are posted at Vax-Before-Travel.com/Ebola.

Previously, the U.S. CDC had issued travel advisories for Uganda in 2022, focused on COVID-19 and polio outbreaks.

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