Image Source: TRT World
Africa – Uganda’s Minister for Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, declared the country officially free of Ebola, confirming there had been no further transmission of the virus since the last confirmed patient was discharged on 16 June 2026.
The declaration came as infections continued to surge in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where a much larger outbreak has been under way since mid-May.
Of the 20 confirmed cases recorded in Uganda, 18 were discharged while two died, both of whom were from the DRC. The outbreak was caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus, the rarest of the four known Ebola variants, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
“Uganda is officially Ebola-free,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
Containment Efforts
The declaration followed the completion of a mandatory 42-day monitoring period that began after the discharge of the last Ugandan national, a locally transmitted patient.
“Throughout this period the Ministry of Health maintained intensive surveillance nationwide, and no new Ebola cases have been detected,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
He credited the containment to stronger laboratory capacity, coordinated work between health workers, local leaders, security agencies and communities, and a swift public health response.
Every identified contact completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up period without developing symptoms, while rapid molecular testing, genome sequencing and digital contact tracing allowed teams to identify cases and stop transmission early.
Cross-Border Risk Remains
The Ministry of Health warned that the risk of Ebola importation remains high because of the ongoing outbreak in the DRC. The Congolese Ministry of Health has recorded at least 3,262 infections and 1,437 deaths there, a toll nearing that of the 2018 to 2020 outbreak, the largest ever recorded in the country.
The WHO has said the outbreak is spreading faster than any previously recorded, with its true scale possibly two to four times larger than reported figures.
Uganda has stepped up surveillance at points of entry and border districts and backed the establishment of two mobile laboratories and an 80-bed Ebola Treatment Unit in Aru and Kasenyi under a cross-border agreement with the DRC.
In a post on X, Dr Baryomunsi urged Ugandans to remain alert and continue observing SOPs and other public health measures and pledged continued support for the DRC’s response.
“We shall continue to support our brothers and sisters in DRC to contain the Ebola Disease there,” he wrote.
He said Uganda remains safe for travel, business and tourism, though he urged the public to stay alert and report any suspected symptoms to the nearest health facility.
