The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have announced the end of Uganda’s Ebola outbreak after the country completed 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case.
In a joint statement on Friday, the organisations said the achievement followed the discharge of Uganda’s last Ebola patient, an imported case, on 16 July 2026.
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The 42-day period is twice the upper limit of Ebola’s incubation period and is the internationally established benchmark for confirming that transmission linked to an outbreak has ended.
Uganda had earlier announced the interruption of local transmission on 28 July after recording no new locally acquired cases for 42 days.
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Authorities continued surveillance and other outbreak control measures following the discharge of the last imported patient to ensure that no undetected chain of transmission remained.
Uganda records 20 cases
Uganda declared the outbreak on 15 May after confirming Ebola cases linked to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The country recorded 20 confirmed cases of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. 15 of the cases were imported from the DRC, while five were locally acquired among contacts and health workers linked to the imported cases.
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Eighteen patients recovered, while two died. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored during the outbreak.
The outbreak was contained through early detection and confirmation of cases, contact tracing, isolation and treatment, infection prevention and control measures, community engagement and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said Uganda’s experience showed that Ebola outbreaks could be contained when countries combine preparedness with rapid detection and effective surveillance.
He said stronger surveillance in health facilities and communities, as well as careful management of points of entry, could help countries prevent further transmission while allowing people and goods to move safely.
“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” Mr Ghebreyesus said.
DRC outbreak remains a threat
The end of Uganda’s outbreak comes as Ebola transmission continues in the DRC, where the outbreak has spread across several provinces.
PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier this month that the DRC had recorded 4,665 confirmed cases and 2,184 deaths as of 12 August, making it the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country.
The outbreak had expanded from Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri Province to 54 health zones across six provinces.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said Uganda’s success demonstrated the importance of decisive leadership, community involvement, and accessible public health systems in stopping Ebola transmission.
He said the achievement should be protected while response efforts are intensified in the DRC, where the virus continues to spread.
“Uganda has shown that Ebola can be stopped when leadership acts decisively, communities are trusted, and public health systems reach people quickly,” Mr Kaseya noted.
He added that the region would only be secure when Ebola transmission was stopped across affected areas.
Also speaking, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, similarly said the end of Uganda’s outbreak was an important milestone but stressed that countries must continue investing in preparedness to protect communities from future outbreaks.
He said Uganda’s experience demonstrated the value of sustained investment in disease surveillance, preparedness and response systems.
“Ending an Ebola outbreak is an important milestone, but the lasting achievement is a stronger ability to protect people from future health threats”.
No travel restrictions recommended
Despite the continuing outbreak in the DRC, WHO said it does not recommend travel or trade restrictions against affected countries.
The organisation said countries should not suspend flights, close borders, or deny entry to travellers from countries experiencing Ebola outbreaks.
Instead, it urged countries to maintain international travel and trade while strengthening measures that support early detection, preparedness and cross-border coordination.
READ ALSO: Ebola: DRC gets 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses as Bundibugyo outbreak worsens
WHO and Africa CDC called for continued disease surveillance and testing capacity, rapid investigation of alerts, strong infection prevention and control in health facilities and communities, and sustained engagement with communities.
The two organisations urged countries to strengthen cross-border coordination. They said they would continue supporting the governments of Uganda and the DRC under a joint continental preparedness and response plan.
They said ending transmission in the DRC remained a priority in efforts to protect communities across the region and prevent further international spread.
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