WRITTEN QUESTION E-3871/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(8 December 2000)

Subject: Ebola fever

The Ebola fever epidemic is continuing to spread in the north of Uganda, once again hitting three refugee camps, especially in Pabo, where at least 38 thousand people are living in a precarious situation, to put it mildly.

The same epidemic is also affecting Kenya and other countries are at risk.

If there is a massive outbreak of the disease in one of these camps it could have disastrous consequences and attacks by the Lord's Resistence Army make it difficult to control the epidemic. In view of this, the following are needed:

- an urgent public health programme for the hospitals of Lacor and Gulu;

- the organising of emergency medical teams;

- measures to prevent the spread of the disease and to monitor the people infected.

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(28 February 2001)

The Ebola outbreak in Uganda appears to have been brought under control. A total of 428 cases and 173 deaths were recorded with a case fatality rate of 40 %. Masindi and Mbara have been declared Ebola free. The worst hit district of Gulu reported its last case on 12 January 2001 and is expected to be declared Ebola free on 24 February.

At the onset of the outbreak the EU, through ECHO, rapidly approved a contribution of 250 000 to support the work of the Ebola Task Force. This sum channelled through WHO, supported disease surveillance and control, case management and a public education campaign.

Immediately on notification of the first cases in Gulu district in October 2000, the Ministry of Health established a national Task Force to coordinate the response to the epidemic. The task force, which included technical experts from WHO Geneva, and CDC Atlanta, established multi-disciplinary teams to work with hospital and district health staff. The teams established isolation and laboratory facilities in hospitals, carried out active case detection, treatment of infected patients and contact tracing and implemented an effective national information campaign.

The last case in Gulu district, the baby of the previous case detected on 22 December 2000, was reported on 12 January 2001. The last case in Masindi district was diagnosed on 19 December 2000. As of 24 January the cumulative total numbers are 396 cases and 150 deaths in Gulu district and 27 cases and 19 deaths in Masindi district. While the epidemic appears to be contained and CDC staff have been withdrawn, the work of the task force is ongoing. Surveillance and prevention measures need to be continued for some time. WHO recommends no special restrictions on travel or trade to or from Uganda.

The donor response, technical support and funding for control measures were rapid and substantial. The Ministry of Health acted rapidly and in an open manner in co-ordinating an effective response to the epidemic.

Under its international research collaboration programme (INCO), the Commission has supported a project on Ebola fever diagnosis and surveillance, targeting the border region of Guinea-Conakry and Ivory Coast, where one of the last larger epidemics took place. New rapid diagnostic tests are under development and a district-based surveillace programme established in West-Africa is elaborated. Possibilities to involve Ugandan laboratories in these activities will be considered.