Uganda confirms first case of Ebola and death outside Congo

The Ugandan Ministry of Health announced this week the first infections related to the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disease began to spread in this country last year. His discovery in Uganda is a setback for health workers who have been trying for months to prevent the virus from crossing the border.

The first case was a five-year-old Congolese boy who had been sent to a hospital in a western region close to the Congolese border. Ugandan Minister of Health Jane Aceng briefed reporters on the case. The boy has since died.

The Ugandan Ministry of Health has also confirmed the death of the boy's grandmother, who is 50 years old. The younger brother of the boy would also be infected.

These deaths are forcing the World Health Organization to declare the Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. The spread of the disease is the second deadliest ever recorded.

In April, a committee of WHO experts decided that the epidemic was not yet an international threat but was "deeply worrying". In general, the UN agency is considering a global health emergency when a disease crosses borders.

International health officials have struggled to put in place measures to combat the spread of the Ebola virus and treat infected people. The affected Congolese provinces suffer from armed and ethnic conflicts where the population is deeply suspicious of foreigners.

Conflicting statements

The confirmation of the first case of Ebola in Uganda was made Tuesday by the Uganda Virus Institute. A WHO statement indicates that the Ministry of Health and WHO sent "a quick response team in Kasese to identify other people potentially at risk.

In a separate statement, the Congolese Ministry of Health said the boy arrived Monday at the Kasindi border crossing in Congo. At least 12 family members also appeared to have been infected and taken to a local hospital restriction center for observation.

Nearly 1,400 deaths

There have been more than 2,000 confirmed or probable cases of Ebola in Congo since August. Officials confirmed the deaths of 1,300 people from the disease. It is transmitted mainly by contact with body fluids of infected persons.

For the first time, an experimental but effective vaccine against the Ebola virus is widely used. More than 130,000 doses of vaccine were administered. Uganda has vaccinated nearly 4,700 health workers, said WHO.

Uganda has experienced several outbreaks of Ebola and similar diseases since the year 2000.

I'm Caty Weaver.

The Associated Press has reported this story. Susan Shand has adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver and Mario Ritter were the editors.

Words in this story

reply – not. a response or reaction to an event

quick – adj. quick

dose – not. the amount of a drug, drug or vitamin taken at the same time