Uganda Declares Itself Ebola-Free
KAMPALA, Uganda — On Tuesday, Ugandan officials announced that the country is officially “free” from Ebola after the last patient was discharged from a hospital in mid-June. This marks a significant milestone, especially since the virus continues to impact remote regions in neighboring Congo.
The Ugandan government has consistently linked its outbreak to a wider epidemic that began in Ituri province in eastern Congo, which borders Uganda.
Local authorities reported that the first case in Uganda was a Congolese man who had crossed the border seeking treatment for an unknown illness before being diagnosed with Ebola.
Congo declared its outbreak on May 15, coinciding with Uganda confirming two Ebola cases, including one involving a deceased individual.
The Ministry of Health in Uganda stated, “Unlike previous Ebola outbreaks that informed the current 42-day declaration policy, Uganda’s 2026 Ebola outbreak resulted from a fully documented imported incident.”
The ministry added that all identified contacts have been properly isolated and completed the required 21-day monitoring period without any signs of further infections, which has enabled Uganda to declare itself free of Ebola. Enhanced surveillance measures led to no unidentified community transmission being detected.
Currently, there is no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus causing the outbreak, which has been deemed a global health emergency.
Ugandan health authorities have a history of effectively managing Ebola outbreaks. Following the confirmation of a case in May, the president urged citizens to “stop shaking hands” and even postponed an annual religious festival that attracts thousands of pilgrims from Congo and other countries near Kampala.
Other preventative measures included halting all public transportation and flights between Uganda and Congo, where concerns about infection persist.
Congo’s Ministry of Health reported that the number of infected individuals there has risen to 3,262, with 1,437 deaths, indicating this might be the fastest Ebola outbreak on record.
The current outbreak in Congo could soon surpass its previous record high, although this outbreak has only lasted 10 weeks compared to two years for the last one.
The 2014-2016 West African outbreak, known as the worst in history, resulted in around 28,000 infections and over 11,000 fatalities.
Rapid infection rates in the present outbreak are concerning, especially as some communities in affected areas are either inaccessible or have been abandoned due to safety issues, including recent conflicts with residents and rebels.
Tracing and isolating Ebola contacts is crucial for halting the transmission of a disease that typically presents as hemorrhagic fever.
The World Health Organization states that fruit bats are thought to be the natural host for the Ebola virus, which spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials.
