Uganda's 8th Sudan Ebola Outbreak Confirms 29% Case Fatality Ratio

Since the recent Sudan virus disease (SUDV) outbreak was declared in the Republic of Uganda in late January 2025, a total of 14 cases, including four related fatalities, a case fatality ratio of 29%, have been reported.

As of March 5, 2025, 192 new contacts have been identified and are under follow-up in Kampala, Ntoroko, and Wakiso.

SUDV was first identified in Sudan in June 1976. This is the eighth outbreak, five in Uganda and three in Sudan.

According to the WHO's Disease Outbreak News (558) published on March 8, 2025, the Ministry of Health (MOH) stated, 'the risk of potential serious public health impact is high.' The MoH has scaled up its case management strategy to ensure sufficient capacities to provide care for all suspected and confirmed cases in all hot spots

The WHO says SVDV is a severe disease belonging to the same family as Ebola virus disease (EVD).

While several promising candidate therapeutics are currently advancing through clinical development, no licensed treatment is yet available to effectively address potential future outbreaks of EVD caused by the Sudan virus species.

A range of candidate SUDV vaccines and therapeutics are under development.

Since 2020, one vaccine and two candidate therapeutics (a monoclonal antibody and an antiviral) have been recommended. They are available in Uganda and are being assessed through randomized clinical trial protocols.

Two vaccines licensed against Zaire EVD will not provide cross-protection against SUDV.

Currently, the WHO advises against travel and/or trade restrictions to Uganda.

However, the U.S. CDC has issued a Travel Health Advisory, Level 2, for Unganda in February 2025. 

The CDC says visitors to Uganda should avoid contact with sick people who have symptoms, such as fever, muscle pain, and rash, or contact with blood and other body fluids and semen from men who have recovered from EVD until testing shows that the virus is no longer in the semen.