Ebola death toll in southern Sudan reaches seven – UN health agency

The death toll in the outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in southern Sudan has climbed to seven, with 28 cases in total since last month, according to the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO).

Local authorities in Yambio County, which is in the Western Equatoria region of southern Sudan, confirmed that as of yesterday there have been seven deaths. They are also continuing measures to try to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

Isolation wards have been set up, while a public awareness campaign about the disease, how it is transmitted and how to prevent it has been taking place in southern Sudan. Additional equipment to collect and safely transport samples has also been sent to the affected area.

WHO has so far not recommended imposing any special restrictions on travel or trade within Western Equatoria.

The Ebola virus was first identified in Sudan and what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1976. It is a contagious disease and causes death in many cases.