Uganda Ebola outbreak claims at least 14 lives

2012-07-31 131

At least 14 people have been killed in Uganda from an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

There is no treatment and no vaccine against Ebola.

The virus is is transmitted by close personal contact and depending on the strain, can kill up to 90 percent of those who contract the virus.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) UGANDAN HEALTH MINISTER, CHRISTINE ONDOA, SAYING:

"So far we have 34 contacts of health workers who from the hospital, these are being traced for having had contacts with the patients but the community tracing is also beginning so as my colleague mentioned the number will keep increasing as we trace the contacts more."

In 2000 an Ebola outbreak infected 425 people, more than half of whom died.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters