WHO: No confirmed Ebola case in Uganda after repatriation of a dead man with ebola-like symptoms from DRC

World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no confirmed Ebola case in Uganda after a man suspected to have died of the virus was repatriated to Uganda by relatives for burial.

WHO, in a statement seen by Pulse Live Uganda, states that the 46-year-old has been living in the DRC and developed ebola-like symptoms and died on Friday 8th February.

His body was collected by a group of 13 people from Tororo and used the death certificate to cross the border.

"His death certificate from the hospital indicates the cause of death to be a cardiac failure and pulmonary tuberculosis."

Officials from Uganda's ministry of health and WHO located the vehicle with the dead body to conduct various tests.

"Last night the Ministry of Health was notified about this incident and with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) immediately followed the different links and managed to locate the vehicle with the dead body and relatives from DRC before reaching their village in Petta Sub-county in Tororo district. Thereafter, the Ministry dispatched a burial team together with a surveillance officer who took an oral swab, conducted a verbal autopsy and will later today conduct a safe and dignified burial."

WHO representative in Uganda Yonas Tegegn Woldermariam said Ugandan health workers exhibited quick action 'in this particular incident'.

"I urge other Ugandans to take this as an excellent example as we prepare for a possible importation of Ebola Virus Diseases cases."

Active case search continues in all communities, health facilities and on formal and informal border crossing in all districts, especially in the high-risk areas, according to WHO.