Once again, Ebola has raised its ugly head in Uganda as a 32 year old male nurse contracted it and passed away January 29. While this sounds frightening to folks planning a safari in Uganda, it is not to the point of considering a change in plans. Uganda has a strong record of handling this disease, so an outbreak is far from happening. Also, the areas we visit are far from the area affected. We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation and update guests of any changes.
From the CDC website:
Ebola disease is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the body fluids (blood, urine, feces, saliva, droplet, semen, or other secretions) of a person who is sick with or has died from Ebola disease. Ebola disease is also spread by infected animals, or through direct contact with objects like needles that are contaminated with the virus. Ebola disease is not spread through airborne transmission.
There is currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed vaccine to protect against Sudan virus infection. The Ebola vaccine licensed in the United States (ERVEBO®) is indicated for preventing Ebola disease due to Ebola virus (species Orthoebolavirus zairense) only, and based on studies in animals, is not expected to protect against Sudan virus or other orthoebolaviruses. There is currently no FDA-approved treatment for SVD, but there are therapies in human clinical trials that are highly effective in animal models.
CDC recommendations:
Avoid contact with sick people who have symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, and rash.
Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids.
Avoid materials possibly contaminated with blood or other body fluids of people who are sick.
Avoid semen from men who have recovered from Ebola disease, until testing shows that the virus is no longer in the semen.
Avoid visiting healthcare facilities in affected areas for nonurgent medical care or for nonmedical reasons.
Avoid visiting traditional healers.
Do not participate in funeral or burial practices that involve touching the body of someone who died.
Keep away from bats, forest antelopes, non-human primates (e.g., monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas), and avoid contact with blood, fluids, or raw meat from these or unknown animals.
Do not enter areas where bats live, such as mines or caves.
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