Uganda has officially declared the end of its 2026 Ebola outbreak after completing the mandatory 42-day monitoring period without recording a single new case, marking a major public health milestone for the East African nation. (Uganda Media Centre)
The declaration was announced by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday after the final locally transmitted patient, who was discharged on June 16, completed the surveillance period required under World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Throughout the six-week monitoring phase, health authorities maintained intensive nationwide surveillance, and no additional infections were detected. (Uganda Media Centre)
Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi said Uganda’s success was made possible through rapid case detection, comprehensive contact tracing, institutional quarantine of exposed individuals, and close coordination among health workers, local governments and international partners. Officials noted that every confirmed case was epidemiologically linked, allowing investigators to fully reconstruct transmission chains and prevent further community spread. (Uganda Media Centre)
Uganda’s outbreak involved the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rare variant for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment. The country recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, with most infections traced to imported cases from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (WHO | Regional Office for Africa)
Despite declaring the outbreak over, Ugandan authorities stressed that the country’s health system remains on high alert because the Ebola epidemic continues across the border in eastern DRC, where thousands of infections and more than a thousand deaths have been reported. Border surveillance, screening and emergency preparedness measures will remain in place to reduce the risk of fresh importations. (AP News)
The Ministry of Health urged border communities to remain vigilant and report anyone showing symptoms consistent with Ebola, while reassuring residents, tourists and investors that Uganda is safe and open for business, travel and normal economic activities. (Uganda Media Centre)
Public health experts have praised Uganda’s response as a model for outbreak containment, citing swift government action, aggressive contact tracing and strong community cooperation. The country’s ability to interrupt transmission contrasts with the ongoing crisis in the DRC, where insecurity, population displacement and limited access to affected communities continue to hamper containment efforts. (AP News)
