Uganda Starts Testing Ebola Vaccine After Sudan Strain Outbreak

The doctors in Uganda are vaccinating the public to prevent them from getting infected with the Ebola virus. Source: cen.acs

Uganda has started testing a new vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola after an outbreak that has already killed one person. A 32-year-old nurse in Kampala died from the virus last week. The nurse’s death was confirmed to be from the Sudan strain of Ebola after tests were done. To fight back quickly, Uganda has started a clinical trial for the vaccine, focusing on health workers and people who may have been exposed to the virus.

This trial is a partnership between Uganda’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda Virus Research Institute, and Makerere University Lung Institute. The vaccine being tested was made by Merck, a well-known pharmaceutical company, and is provided by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). It is the first vaccine ever created for the Sudan strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine.

Outbreak Affects Three People, Contact Tracing Underway

So far, the outbreak has affected three people, including two family members of the nurse who died. The health ministry has found over 230 people who came into close contact with the confirmed cases and is closely monitoring them. Uganda has experienced five Ebola outbreaks before, but this one is worrying because of Kampala’s large and mobile population, making it harder to track and stop the virus from spreading.

The Sudan strain of Ebola causes symptoms like high fever, muscle pain, and bleeding. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids, making it a serious threat, especially in healthcare settings. Even though there is no approved vaccine for the Sudan strain, the vaccine being tested is based on the same method as the Zaire strain vaccine, which has worked well in the past.

Hope for a New Vaccine in Fighting Future Outbreaks

Experts are hopeful that this new vaccine will help control the virus if it proves to be effective. Uganda’s health officials and researchers acted quickly, starting the trial just days after the outbreak was confirmed. If the vaccine works, it could help protect people in future outbreaks of the Sudan strain, preventing more deaths and stopping the virus from spreading.

This trial is an important step in improving Uganda’s ability to respond to future Ebola outbreaks, especially with more diseases appearing around the world.