The latest Ebola outbreak, the sixth in Uganda, was declared at the end of January.
A four-year-old child has been identified as the second patient to die from the Ebola virus in Uganda following a recent outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Saturday night that Uganda’s Ministry of Health had reported a positive Ebola case at Mulago Hospital, the country’s sole referral center for the virus. The case involved a four-year-old who passed away on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Uganda confirmed 10 cases of a new strain of the virus. The first fatality in this outbreak was a male nurse who died before the outbreak was officially declared on January 30.
In February, the Health Ministry reported that all eight Ebola patients under care had been discharged, but at least 265 contacts remained under strict quarantine in Kampala.
This latest outbreak marks the sixth time Uganda has detected cases of Ebola. The cause of this new outbreak has been identified as the Sudan Ebola strain, for which there is currently no approved vaccine.
The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa claimed more than 11,000 lives—the deadliest toll in the virus’s history.
Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, and muscle pain.
Ebola surveillance efforts in Africa are under threat as NGOs previously funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have been forced to halt operations due to President Donald Trump’s dismantling of the US government’s aid agency.
Charles Olaro, the director of health services at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, told The Associated Press that the aid cuts are impacting NGOs that assist nations in responding to infectious diseases.
“There are challenges, but we need to adjust to the new reality,” Olaro said.
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