By Uziah Tusaasire
The Ministry of Health has officially declared Uganda Ebola-free following the successful containment of the 2026 Ebola outbreak.
Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi announced the milestone in a statement posted on his X account, saying the declaration comes after the last Ugandan Ebola patient was discharged on June 16, 2026.
Dr. Baryomunsi explained that, unlike previous Ebola outbreaks that required a standard 42-day waiting period, the 2026 outbreak resulted from a fully documented importation event.
The minister added that enhanced surveillance has detected no unexplained community transmission.
The outbreak infected 20 people, including 15 Congolese nationals, four health workers, and one driver. Two patients died, resulting in a case fatality rate of about 10 percent, significantly lower than the more than 30 percent commonly associated with the Ebola Bundibugyo virus.
Despite the declaration, the Ministry of Health has cautioned that the risk of Ebola remains high because of the ongoing outbreak in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Surveillance has been intensified in border districts from West Nile to Kisoro, while health workers continue screening travellers and educating border communities on Ebola prevention.
According to Congolese health authorities, the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 2,300 confirmed Ebola cases, including 930 deaths, with the outbreak continuing to outpace response efforts in some affected areas.
