CO-Response to Ebola outbreak in Uganda On 19th September, the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared an Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)-SudanStrain outbreak in Uganda. This followed the confirmation of an ebola case in the Mubende district, after a 24-year-old man presented with EVD symptoms and later died. The deceased person lived in Ngabano village of Madudu sub-county in Mubende District. The mostrecent epidemic comes after reports of a strange illness and sudden deaths of six people (Three (3) adults and three (3) children between 1st and 15th September 2022) in the villages of Madudu and Kiruma, also sub-counties of Mubende district1. Currently, there are eight individuals who are being investigated for possible infection in a health care facility
1 https://www.uvri.go.ug/news/ebola-outbreak-mubende-district
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while contact tracing continues. Mubende district lies 60km to the Northeast of Kyaka II refugee settlement, where Oxfam is the WASH implementing partner (IP).
On 20th September, five new suspected ebola cases were reported in the Kyegegwa district (which hosts the Kyaka II settlement) with one fatality already recorded. In Kyaka II a 6-year-old is reported to havedied after complaining of fever, diarrhoea and vomiting for two days.
Uganda is not new to ebola, having had four previous EVD outbreaks in 2000, 2014, 2017 and 2018. The biggest and most deadly being recorded in 2000 registering 425 cases and 224 deaths2. This is the second Ebola-Sudan strain in Uganda with the first case having beenreported in Luwero District in 20123. In between, the country has also had outbreaks of Marburg, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever, Yellow Fever, Rift Valley Fever, Avian Influenza, and measles amongst others.
Following the declaration of this outbreak, the MoH has initiated preliminary containment measures to control the outbreak. National, district and settlement level ebola task forces have been activated and gaps are being identified. Oxfam is UNHCRs WASH IP and thus the designated lead for infectionprevention and control (IPC) and part of the Community Engagement and Risk Communication Pillar giving us a role of ensuring access to Water and Sanitation is not compromised both at the community and quarantine/Isolation centres as well as risk communication and community engagement.
The Ebola-Sudan strain has no documented vaccine (WHO) and with previous experience of a case fatality rate of 41%, this places enormous fear on the likely impact it may have if it spreads to the refugee settlements with Kyaka II, who are most at risk due to proximity. Specific funding is thus required to strengthen actions that would halt any possible spread into the refugee settlements.
Currently Oxfam implements gender-sensitive WASH, Protection and livelihood programmesin Kyaka II, Rwamwanja and Kyangwali. Our Interventions are largely Water Supply, Sanitation and Health Promotion targeting more than 328,4214 refugees. Women and girls constitute 52% of the registered population with women and children contributing 81% of the population (UNHCR August 2022). Oxfam is currently undertaking IPC assessments for the health facilities in close coordination with MTI and will closely monitor the context to inform the reviewing /updating of Oxfam in Uganda Ebola Preparedness andResponse Plan in light of current development.