Ebola outbreak in Uganda infects seven as health officials trace hundreds of contacts

Seven people have tested positive for a highly contagious strain of Ebola in Uganda, with two deaths reported. This is an increase from two cases just days earlier. The outbreak is linked to the Sudan variant, which has a 50% fatality rate. Health authorities are tracing 298 contacts of the infected individuals, with 40 set to receive an experimental vaccine. This is Uganda's first confirmed Ebola outbreak since 2022, when 164 cases and 55 deaths were recorded. In neighboring Tanzania, a Marburg virus outbreak has resulted in nine deaths from ten confirmed cases. The Marburg virus has a mortality rate of up to 90%. Health officials are working with the WHO to manage the situation.