Agency
An 11-year-old refugee boy from Paluda Refugee Settlement in Lamwo District has died at Kitgum General Hospital, raising concerns over a possible Ebola outbreak in the region.
The boy was admitted to the hospital on March 2, 2025, after being referred from Paluda Health Center III in Palabek Ogili Sub-county, Lamwo District.
He presented symptoms similar to Ebola, including bleeding from the gums and nose.
Despite efforts by medical staff, his condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away on Tuesday evening.
Titus Komakech, the Surveillance Focal Person at Kitgum General Hospital, confirmed that the boy exhibited Ebola-like symptoms before his death.
According to Komakech, the boy’s father, a South Sudanese refugee, had recently traveled to South Sudan and returned to the settlement before his son fell ill.
However, the father has not shown any symptoms of the disease.
Health officials have identified six close contacts, including the boy’s mother, and are coordinating with Lamwo medical teams to quarantine them as they await laboratory test results to determine whether they have contracted the virus.
The boy’s body remains at Kitgum General Hospital mortuary.
Ebola is a highly infectious and deadly disease that spreads through human-to-human contact, causing severe bleeding, organ failure, and death.
