Uganda has officially ended its Ebola outbreak after completing 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case, marking a hard-won victory for the country’s public health system and the communities that helped contain the virus.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, was declared on 15 May 2026.
Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases, including 15 imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 5 locally acquired infections among contacts and health workers. Eighteen people recovered, while two died.
The decisive milestone came after Uganda’s last patient—an imported case—was discharged from care on 16 July.
The 42-day countdown, twice the upper limit of Ebola’s incubation period, passed without evidence of further transmission. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored during the response.
Health authorities attributed the rapid containment to early case detection, contact tracing, isolation and treatment, strong infection-prevention measures, community engagement and enhanced surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.
The response allowed Uganda to protect its population while keeping essential travel, trade and movement open.
“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
But the victory comes with a warning. Ebola continues to circulate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and close cross-border ties, population movement and trade mean Uganda and other neighbouring countries remain vulnerable to imported cases.
Africa CDC and WHO are urging continued vigilance, including testing capacity, rapid investigation of alerts, infection-control measures and close cooperation across borders.
Uganda may have stopped this outbreak, but the next test will be preserving that achievement while helping end transmission across the region.
