Top Story: Uganda Moves Swiftly to Contain Sudan Virus Outbreak in Capital
Byline: Kampala, Uganda | 20 May 2025
When the first test results confirmed Sudan virus disease (SVD) in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, on 30 January, Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng knew what was at stake — and exactly how to respond.
This wasn’t Uganda’s first encounter with the deadly virus. Just three years earlier, a 2022 outbreak had killed 55 people and disrupted health systems in the country’s rural heartlands. But this time, the virus had surfaced in the bustling capital of more than 4 million people. And worse still, there was still no approved treatment or vaccine for the disease, which, like Ebola, is caused by the Orthoebolavirus family.
“We knew what worked,” said Aceng, reflecting on lessons learned from eight previous viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks since 2000. The Ministry immediately activated a familiar but refined playbook: contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and aggressive case management.
Early Action, Early Wins
By 2 February, health officials had identified and isolated eight people who tested positive, all linked to the index case — a 32-year-old nurse from Mulago National Referral Hospital, who died of the disease on 29 January. Another victim, a four-year-old child, died later that month.
Despite the early deaths, the Ministry’s swift and coordinated action appears to have blunted the outbreak. The eight confirmed cases were treated and all discharged by mid-February, with no new confirmed infections reported since. The World Health Organization (WHO) later reclassified two additional February deaths as probable Ebola cases, bringing the caseload to 12.
Contact tracing efforts remain robust, with 265 contacts being monitored and outbound travelers screened.
Rapid Deployment and Readiness
Unlike past outbreaks that struck remote areas, this SVD outbreak hit at the heart of the country’s healthcare system — but the response machinery was significantly more prepared.
“This time, we had a fully trained national Emergency Medical Team ready to deploy,” said Dr Rony Bahatungire, acting commissioner for Clinical Services. “They were on site within two hours, fully operational in 12.”
Experimental use of remdesivir — an antiviral drug — helped stabilize severely ill patients, although doctors were careful to note that all treatments were administered on a compassionate-use basis. “We don’t have approved treatments,” said Dr David Kaggwa, lead physician at Mulago’s isolation unit. “But we do know how to manage the disease supportively, from day one.”
Lessons from the Past, Eyes on the Future
Officials say community trust, early detection, and preparedness made the critical difference this time. In contrast to 2022, when villagers in Kassanda and Mubende attributed Ebola-like symptoms to witchcraft and delayed seeking treatment, cases in this outbreak were identified and managed early.
But the work is far from over. Survivors are being monitored for complications and receiving psychosocial support to ease reintegration. The Ministry has also greenlit protocols for clinical trials involving remdesivir, monoclonal antibodies, and convalescent plasma — a first for Uganda.
At the same time, vaccine trials are underway, led by the Ministry in partnership with WHO. A candidate vaccine from IAVI is currently being offered to frontline health workers and known contacts.
Regional Coordination in a Shifting Landscape
Uganda’s experience is part of a broader regional challenge. “These filoviruses are re-emerging across East Africa,” warned Dr Musoka Papa Fallah of Africa CDC. He said a new multicountry protocol — involving Uganda, Burundi, the DRC and others — aims to investigate the growing number of viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreaks in the region, including Marburg virus cases recently reported in Rwanda and Tanzania.
Still, amid the uncertainty, Uganda’s response has been widely praised.
“The progress we have made is a testament to the hard work, coordination, and commitment of all involved,” said Aceng, cautioning that continued vigilance is essential. “We are not out of the woods. But we are far better equipped than ever before.”
Sudan Virus Disease at a Glance:
- Causative agent: Sudan ebolavirus (a member of the Orthoebolavirus genus)
- Transmission: Direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or animals (e.g., bats, primates)
- Symptoms: Fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, internal and external bleeding
- Case fatality rate: Historically between 41% and 100%
- Treatment: No approved treatment; supportive care and experimental antivirals used
