WHO Launches First Clinical Trial for Sudan Ebola Vaccine in Uganda

The trial follows a recent Ebola outbreak in Kampala, with a 32-year-old healthcare worker as the first reported fatality.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a clinical trial for a vaccine targeting the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus in Uganda.
The trial was rapidly organized after a confirmed Ebola outbreak in Kampala, which has already resulted in the death of a 32-year-old nurse.
The vaccine trial includes three ring vaccination groups, initially targeting approximately 40 individuals who were in contact with the deceased nurse and their close contacts.
Currently, there are no approved vaccines for the Sudan strain of Ebola, though vaccines exist for the Zaïre strain, which caused past outbreaks.
Uganda has a history of Ebola outbreaks, with the deadliest involving the Sudan strain in 2000, resulting in 224 deaths out of 425 cases.