Six Children From Same Family Have Ebola – Uganda

The Ugandan health ministry has confirmed that six children from one family have tested positive for the Ebola virus in Kampala.

They are part of a family of seven who took in a relative who had travelled from Kassanda, one of the most affected districts, and later died in the capital.

One of the children, currently in isolation, is meant to sit his final primary school exams on 8 November.

The schools the children go to have not been closed.

Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said that 170 contacts have been listed from that one case.

She added that she was increasingly concerned about urban transmission of the haemorrhagic fever because of its complexity, due to the big populations and frequent mobility.

There have been 109 confirmed Ebola cases in the country, with 30 deaths.

Uganda is considering starting vaccine trials against the Sudan strain of the virus, which broke out 35 days ago.

Officials say about 3,000 contacts of people who got infected with the disease will be considered to receive the vaccines.

The two districts of Mubende and Kassanda – which are the epicentre of the outbreak – remain under quarantine.