Ebola in Uganda - Update 3

The current outbreak of Ebola in Uganda is ongoing with cases reported from Mubende and Kassanda districts in Central Region, and Bunyangabu, as well as from Kagadi and Kyegegwa districts in Western Region.

• See MoH Republic of Health: Ebola (EVD) for latest updates to this outbreak.

Due to the increasing numbers of confirmed cases of Ebola originating in Mubende District, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are advising against all but essential travel to Mubende District, Central Uganda.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a type of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF). It is spread through contact with the blood, body fluids or organs of a person or animal with the infection.

Currently, there is no licensed vaccine available for UK travellers to prevent EVD.

Advice to travellers

The risk to travellers becoming infected or developing EVD is extremely low.

• Travellers to known Ebola outbreak areas must be made aware of the risk of infection and transmission routes of EVD.
• Medical personnel travelling to work in an outbreak region must follow strict infection prevention control guidance.

Before Travel

Prior to travelling to Uganda, all travellers should be advised to consider the following measures:

• check the latest FCDO foreign travel advice for travel advisories and be aware that this advice can change at short notice
• be aware that enhanced screening measures may be in place on entry and exit from Ugandan airports, and at other country borders for travellers arriving from Uganda, or who have recently travelled to Uganda
• avoid travelling if unwell - even if symptoms are unrelated to Ebola, the traveller may still be at risk of being quarantined in a designated isolation facility

The risk to travellers becoming infected or developing EVD is extremely low. The risk may be higher for medical personnel travelling to work in an outbreak region.

All travellers can minimise their risk of becoming infected or developing EVD by:

• avoiding direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of people who appear unwell, and touching bodies of those who have died without strict infection prevention control measures
• avoiding touching potentially contaminated linen, clothing, or personal items from unwell people without strict infection prevention control measures
• avoiding close contact with wild animals and consumption of ‘bush meat’ of these animals
• avoiding having unprotected sexual intercourse

In addition, travellers to Uganda should be reminded of general preventative travel health measures to avoid becoming unwell, including:

• Malaria risk / mosquito bite prevention measures
• Hand hygiene
• Food and water precautions
• Respiratory hygiene measures

After Travel

Travellers should be made aware what they need to do if they develop a fever, with or without additional symptoms (such as headache, myalgia, weakness, abdominal pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding / bruising), and have:

• returned to the UK within 21 days from a region or area with a known outbreak of EVD
• had contact with individuals infected with a VHF

In this instance, travellers should seek rapid medical attention by calling NHS 24 (Scotland) or NHS 111 (rest of UK), or contacting their GP practice by telephone for advice.

Although it is very unlikely the traveller will have EVD, they should be advised to mention:

• any potential exposure to EVD
• details of travel dates and itinerary
• if have travelled to a country infected with malaria

For further information, see the TRAVAX Viral Haemorrhagic Fever page.