The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have increased their support for the Ugandan government’s response to a recent outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD), which is part of the Ebola family. The first 2160 doses of a vaccine candidate and treatments are already in Uganda, prepared as part of outbreak preparedness.
WHO is working closely with the Ministry of Health, Makerere University Lung Institute, and the Ugandan Virus Research Institute to initiate trials of the vaccine candidate. Researchers have been deployed to the field to work alongside surveillance teams as approvals are awaited. The trials aim to evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy and safety, with the goal of potentially contributing to ending the outbreak.
Uganda has experienced five previous SVD outbreaks, with the last one declared in September 2022 and ended in January 2023, resulting in 164 cases and 77 deaths. WHO is also supporting a comprehensive outbreak response, allocating $1 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to help accelerate control efforts.
The current outbreak has seen one confirmed case and 45 contacts being followed up. The development of the vaccine was facilitated by international collaborations, including IAVI, Gilead, CEPI, and others. While vaccines can greatly aid in controlling outbreaks, WHO notes that supportive treatment can also significantly reduce deaths from SVD.
Sudan virus disease is a severe illness affecting humans and other primates caused by Orthoebolavirus sudanense. With no approved treatments or vaccines available, early initiation of supportive treatment remains the best course of action to manage the disease.
Source: https://www.who.int/news/item/31-01-2025-who-and-partners-enable-access-to-candidate-vaccine-and-treatments-for-outbreak-of-sudan-ebola-virus-disease-in-uganda