Ebola claims life of 5yo boy as devastating virus spreads into Uganda

A five-year-old boy has died of Ebola and two new cases have been confirmed in Uganda as the horrifying haemorrhagic fever spreads from the current outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Health officials say the young child was admitted to hospital in Uganda after he and his family traveled there from the DRC at the weekend. However, despite emergency treatment, he passed away overnight Tuesday. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the death, and said two additional cases have tested positive.

The DRC has been struggling with the current outbreak of the disease, which carries a high fatality rate and has killed over 1,200 people in the central African nation, according to WHO figures. A vaccine to prevent the spread of the rare but devastating virus is still under development, and is being used in the DRC and Uganda to try to stem its transmission.

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