KAMPALA, Uganda — A Curious Connection

Boon-dee-BOO-joh. It’s not just a name that trips folks up; it actually represents a rare variant of the Ebola virus. But before we get into the scientific side, let’s talk about Bundibugyo itself—a mountainous district in western Uganda. To be honest, even some locals might find it tricky to locate on a map.

This area is home to about 200,000 people. Many of them are cocoa farmers, who, due to the steep hills and valleys along Uganda’s border with Congo, are always on the lookout for any cultivable land. In many ways, Bundibugyo is like a picturesque village, exuding natural beauty.

Yet now, surprisingly, it’s in the news for a rather grim reason. Some Ugandans are actually regretting Bundibugyo’s association with the ongoing Ebola outbreak, which has already infected hundreds in eastern Congo. Reports suggest there are 160 suspected Ebola deaths across two provinces.

A Troubling History

The link between this Ugandan district and the Bundibugyo virus goes back to an Ebola outbreak nearly two decades ago, which was categorized as a new species of the virus. This specific strain is known to cause hemorrhagic fever.

It wasn’t exactly the Sudan virus, named after the area in present-day South Sudan where it originated. Nor was it the Zaire type, named after what Congo was referred to back when Ebola was first discovered in the 70s. So, the November 2007 outbreak in western Uganda was dubbed Bundibugyo, and it’s still not extensively studied. Experts caution that makes it particularly risky, as it was spreading through Congolese villages before health professionals even recognized the issue.

This 2007 outbreak claimed at least 37 lives but was brought under control by the end of that year. A subsequent but smaller outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus occurred in 2012 in northeastern Congo. Luckily, those early cases were identified in time, leading to a swift public health response, as noted by Dr. Tom Ksiazek, a virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch who initially identified the virus.

Concerns Over Reputation

Even though there are no current Ebola cases in Bundibugyo, the connection to this beautiful district is distressing, according to Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja. He has urged global health organizations to clarify that Uganda isn’t the center of the latest outbreak.

“Bundibugyo is too beautiful to be linked to a disease,” he expressed on social media. “We need to reclaim its name from this madness.”

The World Health Organization handles the naming conventions, and past precedence like the global mpox outbreak, shows they are mindful of the community impacts of such designations. Yet, in the case of Ebola, the trend leans toward naming viruses after the locations they were first identified.

Ugandan health authorities are quite experienced with Ebola outbreaks, making it clear that “no Ebola” is present in the country and asking the WHO for clarity on the outbreak’s updates which has now garnered global attention.

Connected Cases from Congo

So far, Uganda has reported five cases, all traced back to the outbreak in Congo. One involved a 59-year-old Congolese man who was admitted to a hospital in Kampala on May 11 and unfortunately passed away three days later. Recently, Ugandan health officials announced that two people—a driver and a healthcare worker who had contact with the Congolese patient—have also tested positive. The remaining two cases are Congolese women who sought treatment in Uganda before Congo acknowledged the outbreak on May 15.

President Yoweri Museveni noted that this situation is primarily confined to “the Congo side” and urged local tourism to address the misunderstanding that Ebola is also spreading in Uganda.

Museveni encouraged citizens to avoid physical contact as a precaution and postponed a major religious event attracting numerous pilgrims around a Catholic basilica just near Kampala on June 3. Additionally, he announced the suspension of public transport and flights between Congo and Uganda.

Importance of Vigilance

The risk associated with commerce across borders is considerable, cautioned Dr. Emmanuel Batiibwe, who previously led efforts during a 2022 Ebola outbreak. Preventing the current outbreak from spilling into Uganda necessitates “enhanced surveillance at all entry points,” he indicated.

Uganda has seen various Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2000 that resulted in over 200 deaths. There was also an outbreak in Kampala last year.

Importantly, none of the available vaccines or treatments work for Bundibugyo patients. This places a premium on contact tracing and isolating affected individuals, along with providing healthcare workers with adequate protective equipment.

A family of fruit bats is believed to host the viruses that cause Ebola, according to the WHO. The virus spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.