All articles tagged with #uganda
Uganda and Burundi’s military officials visited Israel to discuss sending troops to Gaza, leveraging their Somalia peacekeeping experience and seeking U.S. backing for deployments; a broader U.S.-brokered effort to advance Gaza diplomacy remains contentious, with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu signaling no withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed and no concrete commitments yet.
A Nature Medicine study analyzing samples from 22 patients finds a new Bundibugyo Ebola virus variant linked to a fresh animal-to-human spillover in the Congo-Uganda outbreak; the strain is genetically distinct from earlier Bundibugyo outbreaks, and Uganda cases are connected to the Congo event, though the exact animal source remains unidentified. There is no approved vaccine, but candidates are in development. The study highlights the value of broader testing and virus sequencing for early outbreak detection, as the outbreak has surpassed 2,000 deaths with about 4,381 confirmed cases to date.
Uganda unveiled a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu, the late brother of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to honor his courage during the 1976 Entebbe hostage-rescue operation. Army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba praised the mission and noted the strengthening of Uganda–Israel ties, saying the raid saved more than 100 hostages; several people died, including three hostages and Dora Bloch, along with many Ugandan soldiers and hijackers.
UN OHCHR warns that after Uganda’s January elections a climate of fear and shrinking civic space has intensified abuses against opposition supporters, journalists and human rights defenders, including disappearances, torture and arbitrary arrests; about 50 opposition figures, five rights defenders and five journalists have been targeted, with authorities using laws that breach international standards, while civil society groups face suspension and scrutiny, prompting calls for a rights-based approach and adherence to international law.
An experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugro strain of Ebola has entered its first-in-human phase to evaluate safety and immune response. It is one of four Bundibugro vaccines in development; existing Zaire-targeted vaccines do not work against Bundibugro. Oxford-led trials will be followed by a second small Uganda study and a larger efficacy trial in DR Congo. The Serum Institute has produced 600,000 doses if trials succeed. The DR Congo outbreak has over 2,500 confirmed cases and about 1,000 deaths.
DR Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has killed 999 people in the DRC and 2 in Uganda, with 2,473 cases and 737 patients in isolation; declared in May in Ituri, the outbreak is spreading faster than any prior Ebola event, and there is no approved vaccine or treatment for this strain, prompting urgent calls for a stepped-up global response from WHO and Africa CDC.
Homegrown catnip lotion (nepetalactone) has proven as effective as DEET for repelling mosquitoes in rural Uganda, with 6% nepetalactone matching DEET and 2% only slightly less effective, offering a low-cost, locally produced alternative. Researchers from Cardiff University and Ugandan partners stress the benefit of reducing reliance on malaria medicines as resistance grows, and aim for a self-sustaining production and distribution system. The lotion, called DSK, cannot be patented since it relies on essential oils and cosmetic bases, but could empower communities by involving locals in production and market rollout.
A school bus crash in Uganda has killed at least 21 people — 20 children and one adult — with authorities launching an investigation into the crash and its circumstances.
The World Health Organization warns that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading faster than any previous outbreak, surpassing the 2,000-confirmed-cases mark within two months, while Uganda has discharged its last patient and begun a 42-day countdown to potential Ebola-free status as cases dwindle and transmission chains remain difficult to trace.
Uganda has discharged the last Ebola patient, beginning a 42-day countdown to an official Ebola-free status, after recording 20 confirmed cases and two deaths in a Bundibugyo outbreak linked to the DR Congo. Authorities credit early detection and a strong health system, while urging vigilance, continued screening and contact tracing; US travel rules for DR Congo travellers reflect ongoing concerns.
A U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola, adding to a fast-spreading outbreak that has approximately 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths, with cases also in Uganda. The CDC says it is coordinating with the employer, U.S. agencies and Congolese partners to identify contacts and prevent further transmission. The Bundibugyo virus outbreak has no approved vaccine or treatment and containment is hindered by funding gaps, attacks on health centers and ongoing eastern Congo conflict; previously, an American doctor infected in Congo was treated in Germany and U.S. plans to relocate exposed personnel to Kenya were halted by a Kenyan court. Clinical trials for treatments began earlier this month.
A field study in eastern Uganda found a catnip oil lotion (2% and 6%) protected people from mosquito bites as effectively as a DEET-based repellent, suggesting a low-cost, locally producible option for malaria prevention. The researchers emphasize affordability and local production, while noting repellents work best with consistent weekly use and should complement other measures like bed nets and indoor spraying.
A field and laboratory study in Uganda found that a 6% catnip oil lotion was as effective as 15% DEET in repelling mosquitoes, while a 2% catnip lotion was only marginally less effective. The lotion can be locally produced by a community enterprise, offering a low-cost, sustainable tool for malaria control in rural areas, with plans to scale production and improve access—though further research on usage and compliance remains important.
Africa CDC confirms a Marburg virus disease case in Uganda involving a one-and-a-half-year-old child who died, as the country grapples with the broader Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Official details vary: Africa CDC says no contacts have developed symptoms, Uganda’s health ministry has offered divergent statements, and the WHO says it has been informed of a single case. Media reports of a second case are unconfirmed, while health alerts and ongoing surveillance highlight the region’s public‑health challenge.
Uganda has notified the WHO of a possible Marburg outbreak in its western region, with indications of two confirmed cases; this development intersects with a large Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, complicating containment efforts. The WHO is seeking more information, and there are no licensed Marburg vaccines yet, with development and trial timelines spanning months.