Uganda declares end to Ebola Outbreak

Context

• The WHO released a statement that Uganda declares an end to the Ebola disease outbreak caused by Sudan ebolavirus.

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

• About: 
  • Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a rare but severe, often fatal illness in humans.
  • The first cases were recorded in Guinea in December 2013. Later, the disease spread to neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.
  • Three of its six strains — Bundibugyo, Sudan and Zaire — have historically been responsible for major outbreaks. 
  • The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission (Zoonotic nature).
  • It is thought that fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts.
• Symptoms:
  • Fever, fatigue, muscle, pain, headache, and sore throat.
  • This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases internal and external bleeding.
• Treatment:
  • The Ervebo vaccine has been shown to be effective in protecting people from the species Zaire ebolavirus.
  • Two monoclonal antibodies (Inmazeb and Ebanga) were approved for the treatment of Zaire ebolavirus (Ebolavirus) infection in adults
  • Remdesivir was also tested as an Ebola treatment.