Uganda’s health ministry has confirmed that the number of Ebola cases in the country has risen to nine, up from three, amid an outbreak of the deadly Sudan strain of the virus.
The East African nation declared the outbreak late last month. The Sudan strain, unlike the Zaire strain, has no approved vaccine, posing a significant public health challenge.
In a statement released on Monday, the health ministry reported that one patient has died, while seven others are receiving treatment in Kampala, the capital. Another patient is hospitalized in Mbale, a city near the Kenyan border.
Authorities have placed 265 contacts of the confirmed cases under quarantine as efforts to contain the virus intensify. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced the launch of a trial vaccination program to combat the Sudan strain.
Uganda has a history of battling Ebola outbreaks, with previous cases linked to cross-border transmission from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
