Outbreak of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever—Uganda, August 2000-January 2001

An outbreak of an unusual febrile illness with occasional hemorrhage and significant mortality was reported to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Kampala by the superintendent of St. Marys Hospital in Lacor and the District Director of Health Services in the Gulu District on October 8 2000. A preliminary assessment conducted by the MoH found additional cases in Gulu District and in Gulu Hospital. On October 15 suspicion of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) was confirmed when the National Institute of Virology in Johannesburg South Africa identified Ebola virus infection among specimens from patients including health care workers at St. Marys Hospital. This report describes surveillance and control activities related to the EHF outbreak and presents preliminary clinical and epidemiologic findings. The control activities were organized around surveillance and epidemiology clinical case management social education and mobilization and coordination and logistic support. Moreover targeted prevention activities included follow-up of contacts of identified cases for 21 days; establishment of trained burial teams for all potential and confirmed EHF deaths; community education; cessation of traditional healing and burial practices; cessation of large public gatherings; and updates of hospital infection-control measures including isolation wards. During the 4-month outbreak and response period approximately 5600 contacts in Gulu District were under surveillance for 21 days by approximately 150 trained volunteers.