Uganda Declares End to Latest Ebola Outbreak After 42-Day Monitoring Period

Uganda has officially declared the end of its latest Ebola outbreak after completing the World Health Organization’s required 42-day monitoring period without detecting any new infections, Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced on Tuesday.

The declaration marks the close of an outbreak that infected 20 people and claimed two lives. Health authorities said 18 patients recovered and were discharged, while both fatalities involved people from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Baryomunsi said the decision followed the successful completion of the mandatory surveillance period, which began after the last locally transmitted Ugandan patient was discharged from hospital on June 16, 2026.

“Throughout this period the Ministry of Health maintained intensive surveillance nationwide and no new Ebola cases have been detected,” the minister said while confirming that the country is now free of the disease.

Although the last Ebola patient treated in Uganda, a Congolese national, left hospital on June 22, officials explained that the official countdown for declaring the outbreak over began after the discharge of the final Ugandan patient who had contracted the virus through local transmission.

Uganda has faced several Ebola outbreaks since recording its first epidemic in 2000. Health experts say years of responding to repeated outbreaks have strengthened the country’s disease surveillance systems and emergency response, helping authorities contain infections more quickly and limit widespread community transmission.

The latest outbreak was declared in mid-May. Health officials said many of the infections were linked to neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which has experienced one of the world’s largest Ebola epidemics. The country has recorded more than 3,000 confirmed cases during the ongoing crisis, making cross-border monitoring a key part of Uganda’s response efforts.

Authorities credited extensive contact tracing, patient isolation, testing and nationwide surveillance for preventing additional cases after the final locally transmitted infection was identified. Public health teams remained on alert throughout the monitoring period to ensure that any suspected cases could be detected and managed immediately.

Despite the successful containment of the outbreak, officials warned that Uganda remains vulnerable to future Ebola infections. The country’s tropical forests are home to large populations of fruit bats, which are considered the natural reservoirs of the Ebola virus. Health experts say this environmental factor increases the likelihood of periodic outbreaks.

Ebola is a severe viral hemorrhagic disease that spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids or tissues of an infected person. Common symptoms include fever, severe headache, muscle pain and weakness. As the illness progresses, patients may experience vomiting, including vomiting blood, diarrhea and internal or external bleeding. Early detection, isolation of patients and rapid public health intervention remain essential to preventing the spread of the virus.