People who are infected do not become contagious until symptoms appear, which is after an incubation period of between two and 21 days.Įbola, a haemorrhagic fever, killed at least 11,000 across the world after it decimated West Africa and spread rapidly over the space of two years. It naturally resides in fruit bats, monkeys and porcupines living in the rainforest, and can also be transmitted through eating uncooked 'bushmeat'.Įbola outbreaks are difficult to contain, especially in urban environments. The virus is mainly transmitted through exposure to bodily fluids, with the main symptoms being fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhoea. The Princess Royal has previously been said to be comfortable visiting places where she is could catch an illnesses and the risk does not put her off.Įbola is an often-fatal viral haemorrhagic fever named after a river in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it was discovered in 1976. Princess Anne, sister of King Charles, toured Uganda a fortnight ago and spent time in Kampala and further afield. Deaths have also included a pupil, as well as a mother and unborn baby. The first fatality in the current outbreak was a 24-year-old man in Mubende.
Three vaccines are under review, with committees in the east African nation currently reviewing the proposals. It is in discussions about rolling out vaccines in Uganda that are being developed to work against the Sudan strain of Ebola. However, it said the global risk was 'low'. The WHO warned there is a 'very high' risk of a 'serious public health impact' in Uganda and a 'high' risk about neighbouring countries. The UN agency is helping nearby nations to prepare for an outbreak, training rapid response teams and lab staff, as well as boosting virus surveillance systems. It comes after the WHO warned last week that there is a 'high' risk of the virus spreading to neighbouring countries, including Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan. On top of these confirmed cases, virus teams are monitoring more than 1,200 close contacts in seven parts of the country. The cases in the capital have caused alarm as they are spread out across the city - raising fears the virus is spreading undetected.
Other hotspots are Kassanda (41), 30 miles (50km) east of Mubende, and Kampala itself (18). The majority of cases detected so far have been in Mubende (65), located 90 miles (145km) west of Kampala.
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