Background Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a zoonotic arboviral illness and a geographically widespread tick-borne viral infection. On February 13, 2023, the National Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Laboratory at the Uganda Virus Research Institute received an alert for a suspect VHF case in a 4-year-old male who presented with VHF-compatible signs and symptoms at Kawepe Regional Referral Hospital in Kampala.

Methods By using RT-PCR, a blood sample from the suspected patient was examined for CCHF and found to be positive. Increased anti-CCHFV IgM antibody titers on successive blood samples taken from this patient during serological testing confirmed a recent infection. Following the initial RT-PCR positive result, an epidemiological outbreak investigation was started to find any other suspected patients.

Results From the outbreak, three further CCHF patients were identified following field investigations. One confirmed case person died, (Case Fatality Rate = 25%). The clinical presentation of symptoms was general body weakness (100%), fever (100%), and spontaneous bleeding through the gastrointestinal tract (bloody diarrhea) (75%). By the time of this report, no animal samples or ticks had been collected from the neighborhood as part of the environmental investigation.

Conclusion This is one of the CCHF outbreaks that have been reported in Uganda in recent months. The results indicate that CCHF is endemic in Uganda, with sporadic outbreaks occurring throughout the country. The findings also demonstrate that tick exposure increases the likelihood of human infection. In a developing nation like Uganda, these findings further highlight the significance of having a well-established national Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) surveillance system and diagnostic capability to quickly respond to secondary cases and identify the first cases of VHF outbreaks. We advocate for improved awareness and education about the disease and its transmission among the public, healthcare professionals, and individuals at high risk of exposure.