Uganda declares end to Ebola outbreak after 42 days without new infection

Uganda has officially declared an end to the 2026 Ebola outbreak after completing the mandatory 42-day surveillance period without recording a new case, with the Ministry of Health crediting rapid response systems, frontline health workers and strengthened disease surveillance for successfully containing the virus.

Kampala, Uganda: Uganda has officially declared the end of the 2026 Ebola Disease Outbreak, bringing to a close more than two months of intensive surveillance, contact tracing, and public health interventions that successfully contained the virus before it spread into widespread community transmission.

“The Ministry of Health is pleased to announce that Uganda has officially declared the end of the 2026 Ebola Disease outbreak. Uganda is Ebola-free,” Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi told reporters in the capital Kampala.

The declaration came after the mandatory 42-day monitoring period ended, following the discharge of the last Ebola patient. Health officials say there have been no new cases reported since June, when the last case was discharged from the quarantine facility.

The Ministry said the declaration followed sustained nationwide surveillance, which confirmed that the outbreak had been fully contained and that all identified contacts completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up period without developing the disease.

Unlike previous Ebola outbreaks, the Ministry noted that the 2026 outbreak originated from a fully documented imported case from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), allowing health authorities to identify the source of infection, reconstruct transmission chains and quickly isolate all confirmed cases before further community spread occurred.

The statement said advances in rapid molecular diagnostics, whole genome sequencing, digital surveillance systems and real-time contact tracing significantly strengthened Uganda’s response and enabled health authorities to achieve a level of epidemiological certainty that was previously difficult to attain.

Outbreak claimed two lives

Uganda declared the outbreak of Ebola on May 15, 2026, after confirming imported infections linked to neighbouring DRC.

According to the Ministry, the country recorded 20 confirmed cases during the outbreak, with 18 patients recovering while two people died. Of the confirmed cases, 15 were imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo, while five Ugandan healthcare workers contracted the disease while caring for infected patients.

The Ministry attributed the successful containment of the outbreak to years of investment in Uganda’s public health systems, including improved laboratory capacity, disease surveillance, rapid response teams and stronger collaboration between government agencies, local leaders, health workers and development partners.

The statement also commended frontline health workers, district local governments, Village Health Teams, security agencies, researchers, the media and communities for their role in containing the outbreak.

The Ministry further expressed appreciation to President Museveni for his leadership and support throughout the national response.

Vigilance remains despite Ebola-free status

Despite declaring the outbreak over, the Ministry cautioned that Uganda remains at risk because the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC is still ongoing. Health authorities said surveillance will continue across the country, particularly in border districts, while rapid response teams remain on standby to respond to any suspected cases.

The Government also revealed that Uganda and the DRC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cross-border Ebola preparedness and response.

As part of the regional strategy, Uganda has established two mobile laboratories and 80-bed Ebola Treatment Units in Aru and Kasenyi in eastern DRC to support efforts aimed at containing the outbreak at its source.

The Ministry urged residents in border communities to remain vigilant, report illegal border crossings and immediately notify health authorities of anyone displaying Ebola-like symptoms through nearby health facilities or the national toll-free emergency lines.

It also reassured Ugandans, visitors and investors that the country is safe and remains open for business, tourism and all socio-economic activities.

The July 28 declaration marks another major public health achievement for Uganda, which has earned international recognition over the years for its ability to detect, isolate and contain infectious disease outbreaks.

Health experts say the rapid containment of the 2026 outbreak demonstrates the growing effectiveness of Uganda’s disease surveillance systems, laboratory capacity and emergency response infrastructure, while reinforcing the importance of continued investment in epidemic preparedness as cross-border disease threats remain a persistent challenge in the Great Lakes region.