Deadly Ebola Outbreak Kills 13 in Uganda

A victim of the Ebola virus outbreak lies in a hospital bed in the Gulu region of northern Uganda

*(Via Reuters) – An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has killed 13 people in Uganda and efforts are under way to contain the hemorrhagic fever, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Saturday.

There is no treatment and no vaccine against Ebola, which is transmitted by close personal contact and, depending on the strain, kills up to 90 percent of those who contract the virus.

Joaquim Saweka, WHO’s representative in Uganda, said that although suspected Ebola infections emerged in early July in Kibale district, about 170 km (100 miles) west of the capital Kampala, the outbreak was not confirmed until Friday.

“There are a total of 20 people suspected to have contracted Ebola and 13 of them have died,” Saweka said.

Read/learn more at Reuters.