Characterizing population movement patterns during a Sudan Virus Disease outbreak to adjust response efforts, Uganda, 2022

In September 2022, Uganda declared a Sudan virus disease outbreak in Mubende District. The Uganda Ministry of Health sought to characterize population movement patterns to identify areas at heightened transmission risk and guide outbreak response efforts.

From September to December 2022, response teams adapted the Population Connectivity Across Borders (PopCAB) method to conduct focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and participatory mapping with case-contacts and community members across three districts. Results characterizing local and cross-border travel routes and reasons for travel were applied to adjust response actions.

Participants identified 69 locations across seven non-contiguous districts, including healthcare facilities, gold mines, schools, and transportation hubs linked to travel for trade, farming, healthcare, and family visits. Ministry of Health response teams used the results to enhance surveillance, risk communication, and infection prevention measures at priority locations including cross-border areas. Surveillance activities adjusted by the PopCAB results directly detected two cases in Kampala and indirectly identified 26 additional cases in newly targeted districts.

Integrating community-based mobility mapping into contact tracing enabled rapid identification of high-risk areas beyond the outbreak epicenter. Response teams in similar settings can rapidly deploy this approach to generate real-time mobility data, improve resource allocation, and strengthen communicable disease containment efforts.