Uganda is experiencing its first outbreak in a decade of the deadly Ebola disease caused by Sudan virus, health authorities announced in September. More than 40 cases and at least 29 deaths have been reported, including four health workers. Nine of these deaths are from confirmed cases. While there are vaccines against the more common Zaire strain, there are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics for Sudan ebolavirus.
In this episode of Africa Science Focus, we find out more about the current outbreak in Uganda from the World Health Organizations’s Patrick Otim. Dimie Ogoina, president of the Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society, tells us what the continent must do to curb the spread of the virus and prevent future outbreaks.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
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