Kampala, Uganda — Authorities in Uganda announced the end of Ebola in the country. This follows the discharge of the last patient in mid-June. The nation’s declaration marks an essential milestone amid ongoing concerns in neighboring Congo.
Uganda linked its cases to a broader outbreak in eastern Congo, specifically in the Ituri province. The initial infections in Uganda came from Congolese individuals crossing the border for treatment of an unidentified illness. It was later identified as Ebola, according to health authorities.
Health officials noted that Congo’s outbreak announcement came on May 15, coinciding with Uganda’s confirmation of two Ebola cases, one of which involved a deceased individual.
A doctor treating an Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province. Benediction Murhabazi / AFP via Getty Images
Uganda reported a total of 20 cases, and health authorities assert there is no current indication of additional spread. The last patient was released on June 16, prompting authorities to follow WHO guidelines, awaiting 42 days — equating to two Ebola incubation cycles — before declaring the country free of the virus.
The Ugandan Health Ministry stated, “Uganda’s 2026 Ebola outbreak arose from a fully documented importation event,” a divergence from previous outbreaks within the nation. The Ministry affirmed that all identified contacts were quarantined and monitored for 21 days without further transmission evidence. Enhanced surveillance methods have shown no unexplained community transmission.
The Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus responsible for this outbreak lacks an approved vaccine or treatment. The global health emergency status persists due to the regional outbreak.
Uganda’s response to the May Ebola cases involved decisive actions. The president instructed citizens to cease handshaking and delayed a significant religious event that draws thousands of pilgrims, including those from Congo, to a Catholic shrine near Kampala.
Other preventative measures included halting public transportation and flights between Uganda and Congo, which continues to battle the outbreak.
Teams from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies prepare for burial at Mbiyo cemetery in Bunia, Ituri province, in June. Jospin Mwisha / AFP via Getty Images file
Congo reported 3,262 confirmed cases, with 1,437 deaths in its latest update. This outbreak is noted as the fastest on record, with case numbers soon to surpass the previous highest toll in the country within days. The current outbreak could reach figures close to the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, the worst in history, which resulted in 28,000 cases and over 11,000 fatalities.
The rapid transmission of Ebola in Congo raises concerns as some communities remain difficult to access or have been abandoned by responders due to security risks involving angry residents and rebels.
Effective tracing and isolation of Ebola contacts are essential to prevent the spread of the disease, which commonly presents as a type of hemorrhagic fever.
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