Korede Abdullah in Lagos
A recent outbreak of the Sudan virus disease (SUDV) in Uganda has reported 14 cases and four fatalities, with a case fatality ratio of 29% as of March 5, 2025.
The outbreak, declared in late January 2025, has identified 192 new contacts in Kampala, Ntoroko, and Wakiso, who are currently under follow-up.
SUDV, first identified in Sudan in June 1976, has affected Uganda five times and Sudan three times, with this being the eighth outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the risk of potential serious public health impact is high, citing the severity of SUDV, which belongs to the same family as Ebola virus disease (EVD).
While several promising therapeutics are in development, no licensed treatment is currently available to address potential future outbreaks.
The WHO advises against travel and trade restrictions to Uganda, but the U.S. CDC has issued a Travel Health Advisory, Level 2, urging visitors to avoid contact with sick individuals and contaminated bodily fluids.
In response to the outbreak, Uganda’s Ministry of Health has scaled up its case management strategy, ensuring sufficient capacities to provide care for suspected and confirmed cases in all hotspots.
A range of candidate SUDV vaccines and therapeutics are under development, with one vaccine and two candidate therapeutics available in Uganda and being assessed through clinical trials.
