Uganda has officially declared its Ebola outbreak over after going 42 consecutive days without recording a new confirmed case of the Bundibugyo virus, marking a significant achievement in the country’s fight against the deadly disease.
The announcement came after Uganda’s last Ebola patient, an imported case, was discharged on July 16, 2026. Health authorities then completed the required 42-day monitoring period, which represents twice the maximum incubation period for Ebola, without identifying any further transmission linked to the case.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) praised Uganda’s response, highlighting early detection, strong leadership, surveillance and effective public health measures as key factors in containing the outbreak.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Uganda’s experience showed how quickly Ebola outbreaks can be contained when countries maintain strong preparedness and response systems.
“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” Tedros said.
He also stressed the importance of surveillance in communities and healthcare facilities, as well as monitoring at points of entry, to ensure future cases are detected early.
Uganda declared the outbreak on May 15, 2026, after confirming infections caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The country recorded 20 confirmed cases, including 15 imported cases from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and five locally acquired infections among contacts and health workers.
Of the confirmed cases, 18 people recovered while two died. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored during the response.
Uganda subsequently reported the interruption of local transmission on July 28 after completing 42 days without a new locally acquired case. Surveillance and other control measures continued after the last imported patient was discharged to ensure any potential missed transmission chains were identified.
Africa CDC and WHO Praise Uganda’s Response
Africa CDC Director-General, H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, described the development as a major victory for Uganda and an important lesson for other African countries.
“Uganda has shown that Ebola can be stopped when leadership acts decisively, communities are trusted and public health systems reach people quickly,” Kaseya said.
However, he cautioned against complacency, noting that Ebola transmission remains a concern in the DRC.
“We must now protect this achievement while accelerating the response in the DRC. We will only be secure when transmission is stopped everywhere,” he added.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, also welcomed the announcement while calling for continued investment in health emergency preparedness.
“Ending an Ebola outbreak is an important milestone, but the lasting achievement is a stronger ability to protect people from future health threats,” Janabi said.
Uganda Maintains Vigilance
Uganda’s response included early detection and confirmation of suspected cases, contact tracing, isolation, clinical treatment, infection prevention and control, community engagement and enhanced surveillance at health facilities and border entry points.
Despite the end of the outbreak, health authorities say the risk of imported infections remains because of Uganda’s close social and economic links with the DRC, frequent cross-border movement and trade.
The WHO has advised against blanket travel and trade restrictions during Ebola outbreaks. It does not recommend suspending flights, closing borders or denying entry to travellers from affected countries.
Instead, countries are encouraged to maintain travel and trade while adopting proportionate health measures, including enhanced surveillance, rapid investigation of alerts, testing and cross-border coordination.
Africa CDC and WHO have urged countries across the region to continue investing in outbreak preparedness, including disease surveillance, testing, rapid investigation of health alerts, infection prevention and control, community engagement and cross-border coordination.
Both organisations said they would continue supporting Uganda and the DRC through a joint continental preparedness and response plan, with ending Ebola transmission in the DRC remaining a key priority for protecting communities across the region.
