Ebola has returned to Central Africa. Following the outbreak reported in Ituri province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda has also confirmed two cases in Kampala, imported from the DRC, with no official evidence of local transmission as yet.

This is Ebola Bundibugyo, a rare variant of the virus, for which there is no authorised vaccine or specific treatment. The Ugandan Ministry of Health has activated the national response: enhanced surveillance, screening at points of entry, rapid response teams, isolation of high-risk contacts and quarantine of identified contacts.

At St. Mary’s Lacor Hospital, vigilance is high. The hospital is well aware of the threat posed by Ebola and has always maintained protocols, staff training, isolation units and stocks of protective equipment to deal with any epidemic emergency. As Dr. Emmanuel Ochola, Scientific Director at Lacor, has reminded us on several occasions: “In the fight against epidemics, prevention is the first and most important shield.” And again: “Being prepared in advance means winning people’s trust and saving lives.”

The Teasdale-Corti Foundation and its counterpart, the Fondazione Corti in Milan, are in constant contact with Lacor Hospital and with expatriates on the ground, closely monitoring developments. The University of Sherbrooke, which has interns in Gulu, has decided to recall them to Canada.

Global Affairs Canada regularly updates its travel advisories. At the time of writing, the Canadian government has issued no instructions other than to avoid all travel to regions where cases have been reported.

At this time, we need caution, preparedness and accurate information. St. Mary’s Lacor Hospital continues to do what it has always done: protect the health of the population, even in the most difficult times.