Kampala — Uganda’s Ministry of Health has dismissed claims circulating on social media that the country is experiencing an outbreak of the Nipah virus, calling the reports false and cautioning that misinformation could trigger unnecessary public panic.
“Uganda has not registered any case or outbreak of Nipah virus,” said Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services, in a statement issued Tuesday.
The ministry said the claims originated from a viral video circulating online, but stressed that Uganda’s disease surveillance infrastructure remains fully operational and has not detected any suspected or confirmed Nipah infections.
“The country’s surveillance systems, including event-based surveillance, community reporting structures, and the national laboratory network, remain fully functional,” Olaro said, adding that “to date, no alerts, samples, or laboratory results suggestive of Nipah virus have been received or confirmed.”
Nipah virus disease is a rare but highly lethal zoonotic illness that has caused periodic outbreaks in parts of South and Southeast Asia since it was first identified in Malaysia in 1998.
According to the World Health Organization, the virus has a case fatality rate ranging from 40% to as high as 75%, depending on the outbreak and the capacity of health systems to detect and manage cases early.Â
Past outbreaks in countries such as Bangladesh and India have resulted in dozens of deaths, with human-to-human transmission documented in healthcare and household settings.
There is currently no licensed treatment or vaccine for Nipah virus, making early detection, isolation and public awareness critical to reducing fatalities.
Health authorities urged the public to disregard the video and avoid amplifying unverified information, warning that false outbreak claims can undermine trust in public health institutions.
“Misinformation can generate unnecessary fear, cause panic, and undermine ongoing public health efforts,” Olaro said.
Uganda has built a regional reputation for outbreak preparedness following repeated responses to Ebola, Covid-19 and other infectious disease threats.
The ministry said it continues to work with national, regional and international partners to monitor priority diseases and would immediately notify the public through official channels if any verified threat emerges.
“Ugandans are assured that the Ministry has strong capacity for detecting and responding to public health emergencies, built over many years through trained responders, established rapid response systems, and access to medical countermeasures,” Olaro said.
The ministry also issued public health guidance on Nipah virus disease, which the World Health Organization classifies as a rare but serious zoonotic illness transmitted through contact with infected animals — particularly fruit bats — contaminated food, or close contact with an infected person.
Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain and vomiting, which may progress to confusion and acute encephalitis.
Health officials advised the public to avoid consuming fruits or juices that may have been contaminated by bats and to rely on official health communication channels for verified information.
“Uganda has not registered any case or outbreak of Nipah virus,” said Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services, in a statement issued Tuesday.
The ministry said the claims originated from a viral video circulating online, but stressed that Uganda’s disease surveillance infrastructure remains fully operational and has not detected any suspected or confirmed Nipah infections.
“The country’s surveillance systems, including event-based surveillance, community reporting structures, and the national laboratory network, remain fully functional,” Olaro said, adding that “to date, no alerts, samples, or laboratory results suggestive of Nipah virus have been received or confirmed.”
Nipah virus disease is a rare but highly lethal zoonotic illness that has caused periodic outbreaks in parts of South and Southeast Asia since it was first identified in Malaysia in 1998.
According to the World Health Organization, the virus has a case fatality rate ranging from 40% to as high as 75%, depending on the outbreak and the capacity of health systems to detect and manage cases early.Â
Past outbreaks in countries such as Bangladesh and India have resulted in dozens of deaths, with human-to-human transmission documented in healthcare and household settings.
There is currently no licensed treatment or vaccine for Nipah virus, making early detection, isolation and public awareness critical to reducing fatalities.
Health authorities urged the public to disregard the video and avoid amplifying unverified information, warning that false outbreak claims can undermine trust in public health institutions.
“Misinformation can generate unnecessary fear, cause panic, and undermine ongoing public health efforts,” Olaro said.
Uganda has built a regional reputation for outbreak preparedness following repeated responses to Ebola, Covid-19 and other infectious disease threats.
The ministry said it continues to work with national, regional and international partners to monitor priority diseases and would immediately notify the public through official channels if any verified threat emerges.
“Ugandans are assured that the Ministry has strong capacity for detecting and responding to public health emergencies, built over many years through trained responders, established rapid response systems, and access to medical countermeasures,” Olaro said.
The ministry also issued public health guidance on Nipah virus disease, which the World Health Organization classifies as a rare but serious zoonotic illness transmitted through contact with infected animals — particularly fruit bats — contaminated food, or close contact with an infected person.
Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain and vomiting, which may progress to confusion and acute encephalitis.
Health officials advised the public to avoid consuming fruits or juices that may have been contaminated by bats and to rely on official health communication channels for verified information.