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☆ Uganda Struggles to Contain Its Second-Deadliest Ebola Outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Nicholas Bariyo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Uganda is struggling to contain an Ebola outbreak that has already infected at least 156 people and killed 74, including in the capital Kampala. The outbreak, first detected on Sept. 20 in a small farming town in central Uganda, is caused by a relatively rare strain of the virus for which there are no proven vaccines or antiviral treatments. It has since spread to eight districts throughout the East African country, including Kampala, a crowded city of around five million people, prompting warnings from the World Health Organization that neighboring countries should prepare for imported infections.

But this focus obscures what is happening on the ground, every day: Local and national public health workers and epidemiologists, or “disease detectives,” around the world are stopping outbreaks in their tracks and preventing epidemics. The case studies show what is possible when local, state and national communities mobilize a whole-of-society effort to prevent epidemics. When local efforts are supported by national and local government, we can stop and prevent epidemics. Another lesson is the substantial return on investment we can realize by prioritizing and funding preparedness efforts. Finally, there is a crucial role that coordination among local, state and federal agencies plays in epidemic prevention.

“If I won the lottery, I’d do this for free because I have a passion for public health,” Bernstein said. I had to put other projects on hold to do pro bono work for the CDC. “If we want CDC to get better at fighting diseases, we need to stop tying their hands behind their back,” he said. A senior CDC official called it an “antiquated” system that “has not evolved over time.” The official spoke on the on the condition of anonymity so she could speak freely on the matter. ‘A real challenge to solve’The CDC is preparing a presentation to urge Congress it to fix this, Walensky said.

In the West, only about 10 people have died of monkeypox this year, figures from the U.S. CDC show. No monkeypox vaccines are publicly available in Africa. But those failures are being repeated a year on with monkeypox, the health workers consulted by Reuters said. Congo health minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani told Reuters Congo was in talks with the WHO to buy vaccines, but no formal request had been made. A WHO spokeswoman said that in the absence of available vaccines, countries should instead focus on surveillance and contact tracing.

☆ Climate Change Is Real. Markets, Not Governments, Offer the Cure. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Bret Stephens | Mr. Stephens Is An Opinion Columnist. Mr. Winter Is A Staff Photographer On Assignment In Opinion. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +32 min

worse-case, highest-carbon-emission scenario.” (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the U.N. body that assesses climate change.) How do we weigh the risks of underreacting to climate change against the risks of overreacting to it? While he’s not an expert on climate change, he has spent decades thinking deeply about every manner of risk. That’s particularly true if climate change is akin to cancer — manageable or curable in its earlier stages, disastrous in its later ones. Maybe, I realized, in assessing my newfound concerns about climate change, my long-held beliefs might provide a solution — look to the market.

☆ Uganda steps up Ebola response as virus infects 109, kills 30
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A woman and her child arrive for ebola related investigation at the health facility at the Bwera general hospital near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in Bwera, Uganda, June 14, 2019. Fifteen of the confirmed cases were among health workers, of whom six had died, she told a news conference. The virus circulating in Uganda is the Sudan strain of Ebola, for which there is no proven vaccine, unlike the more common Zaire strain seen during recent outbreaks in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. "The main objective is to evaluate their efficacy to protect primary contacts of Ebola patients within 29 days of contact," Aceng said. Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Estelle ShirbonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uganda's Ebola outbreak sees a worrisome increase in infections after spike in cases over the weekend
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A top World Health Organization official in Africa said last week that Uganda’s Ebola outbreak was “rapidly evolving,” describing a challenging situation for health workers. Ugandan health authorities have confirmed 75 cases of Ebola since Sept. 20, including 28 deaths. Fears that Ebola could spread far from the outbreak’s epicenter compelled authorities to impose an ongoing lockdown, including nighttime curfews, on two of the five districts reporting Ebola cases. Uganda has had multiple Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2000 that killed more than 200 people. The 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa killed more than 11,000 people, the disease’s largest death toll.

☆ Uganda says 9 more Ebola cases confirmed in Kampala, urges vigilance
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/James Akena/File PhotoOct 24 (Reuters) - Uganda has reported nine more Ebola cases in the capital Kampala, bringing the total number of known infections to 14 in the last two days, the health minister said on Monday. The outbreak began in September in a rural part of central Uganda. Report yourself if you have had contact or know of a person who has had contact," Aceng said in her tweet. Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. There have been more than 90 confirmed and probable cases in Uganda since the start of the outbreak, including at least 44 deaths, according to statements by the health ministry and the World Health Organization.

☆ Uganda says two more Ebola cases confirmed in Kampala hospital
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NAIROBI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Two more people in an isolation unit of Uganda's main hospital have tested positive for Ebola, bringing total cases recorded in the facility to five, the health minister said on Sunday. Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said on Saturday that three patients among 60 people in isolation at Kampala's Mulago Hospital tested positive for the disease a day earlier. "Two more contacts to the Kassanda case, who are quarantined in Mulago Isolation facility, tested positive for Ebola yesterday..." Aceng said on Twitter. It was not clear if the numbers included the three first new Kampala cases. The government said last week two other cases of Ebola confirmed in Kampala had come from Mubende and were regarded as originating there, not the capital.

☆ Uganda applies well-honed lessons to new Ebola outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Now, the East African country — lauded for its coronavirus response, which was built around engaging the community and training health officials — is drawing lessons from the first Ebola outbreak in 2004. “They alerted the WHO early and put in the basic pillars of a response early,” Dr. Benjamin Black, an obstetrician, said recalling the West African Ebola response from 2014 to 2016. But Ghebreyesus said Wednesday a clinical trial of vaccines to combat the Sudan species of the Ebola virus could start within weeks. “There’s burnout amongst health workers, health officials and the public across the board in Uganda,” Agoada said. The threadlike Ebola virus spreads when it comes in contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids.

☆ Ebola tests are positive for three people in Uganda hospital
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 22 (Reuters) - Three people in an isolation unit of Uganda's main hospital have tested positive for Ebola, the country's health minister said on Saturday. "Yesterday ... three individuals from among the 60 in our Mulago isolation facility tested positive for Ebola," Jane Ruth Aceng said on Twitter. The government has introduced a three-week lockdown around the Mubende and Kassanda districts in central Uganda, the epicentre of the outbreak of the Sudan variant of the Ebola virus. The government said last week two other cases of Ebola confirmed in Kampala had come from Mubende and were regarded as originating there, not the capital. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uganda health minister:3 people in Kampala hospital positive for Ebola
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 22 (Reuters) - Three people in an isolation unit of Uganda's main hospital have tested positive for Ebola, the country's health minister said on Saturday. "Yesterday ... three individuals from among the 60 in our Mulago isolation facility tested positive for Ebola," Jane Ruth Aceng said on Twitter. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterMulago is in Uganda's capital Kampala. The government said last week two other cases of Ebola confirmed in Kampala had come from Mubende and were regarded as originating there, not the capital. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fact Check-As of Oct. 20, no suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola in the U.S., officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Chicago Public Health Department (CPHD) told Reuters that as of Oct. 20 “no suspected, probable, or confirmed cases of Ebola” had been reported in Chicago, contrary to claims online. Bert Kelly, a spokesperson for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also told Reuters that “there are no suspected Ebola cases in the U.S.” as of Oct. 20. Health authorities in Uganda confirmed an outbreak of the Sudan strain of Ebola on Sept. 20 (here). The Chicago Public Health Department told Reuters no “suspected, probable, or confirmed cases of Ebola” had been reported in Chicago as of Oct. 20. The U.S. CDC similarly said no suspected Ebola cases in the U.S. had been reported as of that date.

As an outbreak of Ebola spreads in Uganda, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remain confident that the virus can be contained. The people most at risk, therefore, are household contacts and health care workers treating Ebola patients. In 2019, a vaccine was approved for the Ebola virus that caused the 2014 outbreak. The current Ebola outbreak, however, is caused by a different species of the virus, and no vaccines or direct treatments are available. The Ebola virus causes hemorrhagic fever, leading to problems with how the body clots blood.

☆ WHO: 'Concerned' about Ebola spread as latest eight cases not contacts of others infected
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The eight most recent Ebola cases reported during the outbreak in Uganda have no known links with current patients, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday, raising concerns over the spread of the deadly disease. In a briefing, the WHO said initial investigations into the cases by Uganda's Ministry of Health had shown they were not contacts of people already known to have Ebola. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThere have been 60 confirmed and 20 probable cases since the outbreak began last month, and 44 deaths, the WHO said. The strain spreading in Uganda is the Sudan strain, and the existing vaccines and therapies do not work against it. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jennifer Rigby Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. sends experimental antibody, antiviral drug to Uganda for Ebola outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

There are currently no proven vaccines or treatments for the Sudan species of Ebola, one of four known Ebola viruses to cause hemorrhagic fever in humans. The outbreak confirmed by the Ugandan health ministry on Sept. 20 is the largest of the Sudan species since 2000. "If healthcare workers start to fall ill and die, it's going to negatively impact the response," said Montgomery, who had just returned from a trip to Uganda. For instance, healthcare workers may be reluctant to assist in the response, he said in a phone interview. A large outbreak of the Zaire species of Ebola in West Africa from 2014-2016 led to effective vaccines and treatment, but there are no proven treatments or vaccines for the Sudan species.

CNN —Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has declared an immediate three-week lockdown in two high risk districts as the country battles a rise in Ebola infections. Places of worship, bars, gyms, saunas and other entertainment venues will close but schools will remain open, he added. The Ugandan health ministry will also increase contact tracing and assistance to local health facilities. Speaking at a media briefing earlier this month, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the vaccines used successfully to curb recent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are not effective against the type of Ebola virus now circulating in Uganda. Museveni declared an Ebola outbreak in September after a case of the relatively rare Sudan strain was confirmed and cases began to rise across districts.

☆ Uganda introduces lockdown measures to halt spread of Ebola: president
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NAIROBI, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Uganda President Yoweri Museveni said on Saturday the government was implementing an overnight curfew, closing places of worship and entertainment, and restricting movement into and out of two districts affected by Ebola for 21 days. The measures aimed at curbing the spread of the disease will be introduced immediately in Mubende and Kassanda districts in central Uganda, the epicentre of the epidemic, he said in a televised national address. "These are temporary measures to control the spread of Ebola. We should all cooperate with authorities so we bring this outbreak to an end in the shortest possible time," Museveni said. Museveni said 19 people have died since the east African nation announced the outbreak of the deadly hemorrhagic fever on Sept. 20.

☆ ‘Africa on its own’: Little help in epidemics, says official
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Africa must plan to respond effectively to disease outbreaks without international help, a top public health official said Wednesday, warning that the continent of 1.3 billion people is “on its own” during pandemics. “This is not the first outbreak of the Sudan strain of Ebola virus here in Africa and particularly here in Uganda,” he said. He said no help has come to Africa, where more monkeypox deaths have been reported this year than anywhere in the world. “Recently, during the pandemic, when we saw the number of monkeypox cases growing here in Africa, we issued a global alert but no help came to Africa,” he said. “In fact, today, as we see the tail end of the pandemic, there’s still no help coming to Africa for monkeypox.

☆ Deadly Ebola Outbreak Spreads to Uganda’s Capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Nicholas Bariyo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

KAMPALA Uganda—A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus has spread from rural Uganda into the capital, Kampala, the country’s Health Ministry said Wednesday, raising further fears of a wider spread of the deadly Sudan strain for which there are no proven vaccines or antiviral treatments. Nineteen people are confirmed dead from the hemorrhagic fever since Ugandan health authorities announced that a 24-year-old man was killed by the relatively rare Sudan strain of Ebola last month. Nineteen others, including six members of the man’s family, are also believed to have died as far back as early August, but were never tested, the health ministry said.

☆ WHO calls for more international aide to prevent Ebola from spreading beyond Uganda
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The World Health Organization is working with Uganda to prevent a deadly Ebola outbreak in the East African nation from spreading to neighboring nations, the global health agency's chief said on Wednesday. Health authorities in Uganda have identified 74 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola across five districts, according to the WHO. Uganda declared an outbreak of Ebola in late September after person from a village in the central region of the country tested positive for the virus. Ebola symptoms include unexplained hemorrhaging, bleeding or bruising as well as fever, severe headaches, muscle and joint pain, weakness and fatigue, sore throat, loss of appetite, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the CDC. U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra last week offered his counterpart in Uganda support from the Health and Human Services Department.

☆ WHO calls for more international aid to prevent Ebola from spreading beyond Uganda
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The World Health Organization is working with Uganda to prevent a deadly Ebola outbreak in the East African nation from spreading to neighboring nations, the global health agency's chief said on Wednesday. Health authorities in Uganda have identified 74 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola across five districts, according to the WHO. Uganda declared an outbreak of Ebola in late September after a person from a village in the central region of the country tested positive for the virus. Ebola symptoms include unexplained hemorrhaging, bleeding or bruising as well as fever, severe headaches, muscle and joint pain, weakness and fatigue, sore throat, loss of appetite, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the CDC. U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra last week offered his counterpart in Uganda support from the Health and Human Services Department.

☆ Vaccine trials on Sudan Ebola strain to start in weeks - WHO chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Elias Biryabarema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), attends the 75th World Health Assembly at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, May 22, 2022. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseKAMPALA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday a clinical trial of vaccines to combat the Sudan strain of Ebola could start within weeks as an outbreak of the disease in Uganda reached the capital, stirring alarm. The East African country declared an outbreak of Ebola on Sept. 20 and said infections were being caused by the Sudan strain. There have been worries the spread of infection in Uganda could be difficult to control because currently there is no vaccine for the Sudan strain. Although it has no vaccine, WHO has previously said the Sudan strain is less transmissible and has shown a lower fatality rate in previous outbreaks than Ebola Zaire.

☆ Ebola case confirmed in Uganda's capital Kampala - Health Minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

KAMPALA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - An ebola case in the latest outbreak of the haemorrhagic fever in Uganda has been confirmed in the country's capital Kampala, according to the health minister. The person died on October 7th and the ebola infection was confirmed posthumously from a sample that had been taken from him before he was buried, the minister, Jane Ruth Aceng said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Elias Biryabarema Editing by James Macharia ChegeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Weekly Health Quiz: Medical Tests, Malaria and Teeth Whitening
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Knvul Sheikh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Due to a new Ebola outbreak, the Biden administration has said that travelers from which country should now be redirected to airports where they can be screened for the virus?

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