Uganda has today entered the 42-day countdown to the end of its Ebola outbreak after the last confirmed case tested negative for the virus for a second time and was discharged from care, marking an important milestone in the country's response.
The 42-day countdown, equivalent to two maximum incubation periods for Bundibugyo virus disease, is the established phase before an outbreak can be declared over, provided no new confirmed cases are detected during this period.
Uganda declared the outbreak on 15 May 2026 and as of 16 July 2026, 20 confirmed cases and two deaths have been reported. Fifteen cases were the result of importation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and five were locally aquired.
“It has been two months since we declared the outbreak and we are now celebrating the discharge of the last patient. This shows that Ebola is defeatable if we adhere to measures and establish strong systems,” says Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Health in Uganda. “I thank all the teams involved, including the health workers and support staff, for the courage, resilience, professionalism and charisma, working 24 hours a day to provide care.”
Since the outbreak was declared, the Ministry of Health in Uganda, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, has implemented an intensive response that included rapid case detection, laboratory testing, contact tracing, infection prevention and control measures, case management, risk communication and community engagement, and cross-border collaboration with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As of 16 July 2026, all 836 contacts have been followed up, while surveillance systems were strengthened across 36 high-risk districts and at 38 points of entry. Health workers received training and essential medical equipment and supplies to safely identify, isolate and manage suspected cases, helping to limit further transmission.
WHO has supported health authorities by mobilizing around 70 technical experts into the national response, strengthening laboratory capacity, coordinating logistics, supporting surveillance and contact tracing, providing medical supplies and equipment to protect frontline health workers and working with affected communities across high-risk districts.
"This milestone reflects the dedication of Uganda's leadership, health workers, case investigation teams, communities and partners who have worked hard to interrupt transmission," says Dr Kasonde Mwinga, WHO Representative in Uganda. "While this is an encouraging moment, it is not the end of the response. Maintaining strong surveillance, rapid investigation of alerts and community engagement into the future will be essential to achieving and sustaining success."
Although no new confirmed cases have been reported since 21 June 2026, health authorities continue to enhance cross-border surveillance and operational readiness across all border areas to sustain rapid detection and trigger new response operations when needed. Community members, health workers and leaders are encouraged to keep alert to Ebola, report any symptoms promptly and seek care immediately if the disease is suspected.
Although Uganda has officially begun the 42-day countdown to declaring the end of the outbreak, this remains a single, complex outbreak across international borders with shared communities. As transmission continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there remains a risk of additional imported cases into Uganda during the countdown period. Should this occur, the 42-day countdown would be reset to day zero. This would reflect the realities of responding to a cross-border outbreak with ongoing transmission, rather than any shortcomings in the response of either country.
As Uganda exits this initial acute phase of the emergency, the next phase will require maintaining the highest level of vigilance over a protracted timeframe, so any new cases imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be quickly detected and controlled. To this end, the Ministry of Health of Uganda this week launched a new six-month plan, maintaining and strengthening existing interventions to reduce the likelihood of resurgence and limiting the potential for wider geographical spread of the outbreak from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Uganda.
