Uganda health ministry confirms Ebola outbreak
September 20, 2022, 8:51 am

Uganda health ministry confirms Ebola outbreak

Ebola-Isolation room/Pixabay

Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of Ebola in the country’s Mubende district, its health ministry said on Tuesday (Sep 20) on Twitter.

The ministry said the confirmed case was a 24-year-old man who showed symptoms and later died.

According to the CDC, Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a rare and deadly disease in people and nonhuman primates.

The viruses that cause EVD are located mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. People can get EVD through direct contact with an infected animal (bat or nonhuman primate) or a sick or dead person infected with Ebola virus, it said.

On March 23, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the forested rural region of southeastern Guinea.

The identification of these early cases marked the beginning of the West Africa Ebola epidemic, the largest in history.

Although Ebola is from a different virus family, survivors’ long-term symptoms are similar to those of people with long Covid.

Uganda has had four Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks in 2,000, 2014, 2017 and 2018. The biggest and most deadly was in 2000 that registered 425 cases and 224 deaths, the WHO reported.

Clinical trials begin for new Ebola vaccine developed by University of Oxford

The outbreak was characterized by fever and haemorrhagic manifestations, and affected health workers and the general population of Rwot-Obillo, a village 14 km north of Gulu town.

Uganda has had four Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks in 2,000, 2014, 2017 and 2018.

Scientists think people are initially infected with Ebola virus through contact with an infected animal, such as a fruit bat or nonhuman primate.

When people become infected with Ebola, they do not start developing signs or symptoms right away. This period between exposure to an illness and having symptoms is known as the incubation period.

WHO says eleven cases of Ebola virus disease confirmed in DR Congo

A person can only spread Ebola to other people after they develop signs and symptoms of Ebola.

Additionally, Ebola virus is not known to be transmitted through food. However, in certain parts of the world, Ebola virus may spread through the handling and consumption of wild animal meat or hunted wild animals infected with Ebola. There is no evidence that mosquitoes or other insects can transmit Ebola virus.

levantnews-cdc-who

Food, climate change, Ukraine in focus at UN General Assembly Ukraine, Contained?

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”