Current Situation

On May 13, 2011, the Uganda Ministry of Health reported that one person died from Ebola in the Luwero District of Uganda. The patient, who died on May 6, 2011, had signs and symptoms of hemorrhage and confirmed infection with Ebola virus. At the present time, there are no other known confirmed cases.

Information about Ebola

Ebola can spread from person to person in one of the following ways:

• Direct contact with blood or other body fluids from an infected person
• Touching a person who has died from the disease
• Contact with contaminated clothes, linens, or materials that were in contact with an infected person

Ebola virus spreads from animals to humans through handling or eating infected meat or other forms of contact with infected animals, including drinking raw milk.

Advice for US Travelers

Ebola is a serious but rare disease. The risk to travelers is extremely low, unless they are directly involved in caring for people who may have Ebola. CDC advises that US citizens residing and traveling in Uganda should be aware of the disease situation and should take the following precautions:

• Avoid direct contact with blood or other body fluids from people with severe illness, especially with those whose cause of disease is unknown.
• Avoid direct contact with a dead body whose cause of death is unknown.
• Avoid eating wild animals and bushmeat, including primates.

If US citizens are working in a health care setting in Uganda and may have exposure to an infected patient, CDC advises them to be vigilant in using infection control practices. These practices should include contact and droplet precautions, in addition to eye protection or face shield.

People who have signs and symptoms of Ebola should see a doctor right away. Signs and symptoms include abrupt onset of fever, headache, and joint and muscle aches followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. A rash, sore throat, red eyes, hiccups, and bleeding may occur in some people. Signs and symptoms of Ebola can occur up to 21 days after exposure, so people who have traveled to Uganda and develop these symptoms after returning home should seek urgent medical evaluation.

More Information

For information about the current situation, see the World Health Organization's Ebola in Uganda report (May 18, 2011).

For more information about Ebola, see the CDC Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever webpage.