Updated January 12, 2023
DHEC ceases monitoring as Ebola outbreak in Uganda declared over
With Uganda declaring an end to the Ebola outbreak in the country, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is no longer monitoring travelers from that area. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement Jan. 11, 2023, saying Uganda had declared the outbreak over; the outbreak began in September 2022.
DHEC had been monitoring travelers from Uganda who had potentially been exposed for 21 days after the last potential exposure for signs of infection. No cases were identified in South Carolina or the United States during the outbreak. Although the outbreak in Uganda is considered over, WHO and other health officials will continue to monitor for any flare-ups.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory on Oct. 6, 2022, about a confirmed outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Uganda caused by Sudan strain to provide its recommendations to public health departments, laboratories and health care workers as to how to address the issue such as case identification and testing and clinical laboratory biosafety considerations. DHEC shared the guidance with South Carolina providers via its Health Alert Network.
Ebola is a disease that can occur anywhere from two to 21-days after exposure to an infected person or contaminated items, but the average is eight to 10 days. Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Severe headache
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain
- Unexplained bleeding or bruising.
The course of the disease can be very severe and even fatal. Learn the facts about Ebola by visiting the CDC's website.
Ebola remains present (endemic) in some parts of the world and the risk for re-emergence or reintroduction remains. DHEC will continue to work with the CDC and our health care providers to ensure a timely response to potential re-emergence as part of our ongoing disease surveillance activities.
We thank all the returning travelers who placed their health as a priority and partnered with DHEC to monitor their health during the 21 days after their return.