The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 travel alert after Uganda confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease, a deadly hemorrhagic fever in the same family as Ebola.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health declared the outbreak on January 30 after three national reference labs confirmed the virus. The first known patient developed symptoms between January 20–21 and died on January 29 at a hospital in Kampala, according to the World Health Organization.
The CDC said Thursday there are currently no suspected or confirmed cases in the United States or outside Uganda, and there are no direct flights between the two countries.
However, US health providers are urged to check travel histories of patients with symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding. Travelers returning from Uganda are advised to monitor their health for 21 days.
Sudan virus disease has no approved vaccines or treatments, and fatality rates in past outbreaks have ranged from 41% to 100%.
