WHO expected to declare Uganda Ebola outbreak over

The World Health Organization is expected to declare the Uganda recent Ebola outbreak over on January 11 if no new cases are reported. According to WHO guidelines, an outbreak is declared over if there are no new infections within 42 days. Uganda has recorded 142 cases including 56 deaths since the Ebola outbreak was announced in September.

The Sudan strain of the virus has no proven vaccine but trials are to get under way in coming days for a potential vaccine. Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. The World Health Organization has said the fatality rate of the current outbreak is about 40%.