African health official: Ebola in Uganda is under control

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s Ebola outbreak is under control, a top public health official in Africa said Thursday, noting that local health officials are doing well in tracing most contacts.

« The situation is not getting out of control, » said Dr Ahmed Ogwell, acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. « We have good visibility on all contacts. »

About 98% of the 2,694 documented contacts – people exposed to Ebola by a confirmed patient – are being monitored, Ogwell said, adding that it « is reassuring that we know the evolution of this particular epidemic ».

Contact tracing is essential to stem the spread of contagious diseases like Ebola.

Uganda declared an outbreak of the Sudanese strain of Ebola on September 20. The epicenter is a rural community in central Uganda about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the capital, Kampala.

The outbreak has spread to Kampala in recent days after some Ebola patients sought treatment there. Six schoolchildren attending three different schools are among at least 15 confirmed cases of Ebola in Kampala, the health minister reported on Wednesday, raising fears of contagion.

There is no approved vaccine for the Sudanese strain of Ebola, but two candidate vaccines are to be tested in clinical trials that authorities say will be launched within days.

The current Ebola outbreak, which manifests as viral hemorrhagic fever, has so far infected 109 people and killed 30, including four health workers.

Rodney Muhumuza, Associated Press