Uganda has declared the end of an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus after completing 42 consecutive days without recording a new confirmed case.
The World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention welcomed the milestone on Thursday, following the discharge of the country’s last Ebola patient on July 16, 2026.
The patient was among several cases imported from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, where an Ebola outbreak remains ongoing.
Uganda declared the outbreak on May 15, 2026. A total of 20 confirmed cases were reported, including 15 imported infections and five locally acquired cases among contacts and health workers linked to the imported cases.
Eighteen of the patients recovered, while two died. Health authorities also identified and monitored more than 800 people who had been in contact with confirmed cases.
The 42-day countdown is twice the maximum 21-day incubation period for Ebola and is the internationally recognised benchmark for determining that transmission linked to an outbreak has ended.
“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.
He said preparedness, increased surveillance in health facilities and communities, and effective management of points of entry enabled Uganda to protect people without unnecessarily disrupting movement and trade.
Uganda interrupted local transmission rapidly through early case detection and confirmation, contact tracing, isolation and clinical care. Other measures included infection prevention and control, community engagement, and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and border entry points.
The country had announced the interruption of local transmission on July 28 after recording no locally acquired case for 42 days. However, surveillance and other outbreak-control measures continued because the last imported patient was discharged on July 16.
The completion of a further monitoring period means health authorities have detected no transmission associated with that imported case.
Africa CDC Director-General, Dr Jean Kaseya, described the development as a victory for Uganda and an important lesson for the continent.
“Uganda has shown that Ebola can be stopped when leadership acts decisively, communities are trusted and public health systems reach people quickly,” he said.
Dr Kaseya warned, however, that countries in the region would remain vulnerable while transmission continued in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“We must now protect this achievement while accelerating the response in the DRC. We will only be secure when transmission is stopped everywhere,” he said.
Frequent population movement, cross-border trade and close social and economic links between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo create a continuing risk that infected people could cross into neighbouring countries.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, said the response demonstrated the importance of sustained investment in epidemic preparedness.
“Ending an Ebola outbreak is an important milestone, but the lasting achievement is a stronger ability to protect people from future health threats,” he said.
WHO and Africa CDC have urged Uganda and other countries in the region to maintain disease surveillance, laboratory testing capacity and the rapid investigation of suspected cases. They also called for continued infection prevention and control, community engagement and closer cross-border coordination.
The organisations advised against imposing travel or trade restrictions in response to Ebola outbreaks. WHO does not recommend closing borders, suspending flights or denying entry to travellers from affected countries.
Instead, countries are encouraged to maintain international travel and trade while introducing proportionate public health measures that support early detection and cross-border cooperation.
WHO and Africa CDC said they would continue supporting the governments of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a joint continental preparedness and response plan, with ending transmission in the DRC remaining a central regional priority.