Dr. Matthew Lukwiya, a senior doctor at the Locor hospital in Gulu, was "one of the leaders in the fight against the Ebola virus in Gulu," spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters at UN Headquarters.

"The doctor's death, and those of his colleagues, illustrates how vulnerable health care workers in outbreak situations are and also just how contagious this virus is," he added.

According to the spokesman, the Ugandan Ministry of Health has appealed to the local community for more medical workers to staff the hospitals in the region as the workers there are stretched to the limit.