Uganda’s Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has praised the resolve of all those who have helped in the fight against Ebola Virus Disease.
“Fellow Ugandans, Happy New Year to you all. Today, 10th January 2023, marks 42 days since we began the countdown to Ebola free Uganda. I want to thank you all for your vigilance and a good job done. Together we can!” Aceng said on Tuesday in a tweet.
We have learnt that the Ministry of Health is set to declare the country ebola free on Wednesday at an event in Mubende district where the outbreak was first reported in September last year.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ugandan Ministry of Health, as of 3 January 2023, there have been 142 confirmed cases of SVD, of which 55 died (CFR: 39%), and 87 recovered. In addition, 22 deaths among probable cases have been reported in individuals who died before a sample was taken. At least 19 healthcare workers have been infected and seven of them died.
The last reported case was a stillborn 32-week-old male delivered on 27 November 2022 to a woman who survived SVD late in her pregnancy. This case was confirmed after a period of 13 days with no confirmed cases.
Overall, there have been nine Ugandan districts affected by this outbreak: Bunyangabu, Jinja, Kagadi, Kampala, Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Masaka, Mubende, and Wakiso. All districts besides Kassanda have completed two incubation cycles of the virus without reporting any cases. Since the last reported case and until 2 January 2023, 37 days have passed.
