Uganda has launched a clinical trial for an experimental vaccine against the Sudan strain of Ebola following an outbreak that claimed the life of a nurse in Kampala. The trial, initiated just four days after the first fatality, targets health workers and individuals exposed to the virus via a “ring” vaccination strategy—immunizing confirmed contacts and their contacts. Two additional cases were confirmed among the nurse’s relatives, underscoring the urgency of containment measures. This marks the sixth Ebola outbreak in Uganda involving the Sudan strain, for which no approved vaccine exists. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded the rapid initiation of the trial, noting that a candidate vaccine system established during the 2022 outbreak of the same strain paved the way for this swift response. Ebola is transmitted through body fluids and causes symptoms including fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea.
Source: Aljazeera
