According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ugandan Ministry of Health has confirmed a second death from the Sudanese Ebola virus, following the death of a four-year-old child at Mulago Hospital in Kampala on February 25.
The WHO office in Uganda announced the news on Saturday, stressing that it was collaborating with the country’s health authorities and partners to contain the outbreak.
The outbreak was first declared on January 30, when a 32-year-old nurse became the first documented case and later died of the infection. Uganda had previously declared the outbreak under control and discharged eight Ebola patients on February 18 after they tested negative. However, 265 contacts remain in quarantine for monitoring purposes.
The Sudanese Ebola virus is one of six known strains of the Ebola virus and is associated with a high mortality rate. Unlike other strains, there is currently no licensed vaccine for this variant. Clinical trials for a possible vaccine have begun after the World Health Organization donated 2,160 doses to help Uganda’s response efforts.