Uganda Declares End to Latest Ebola Outbreak

Uganda has officially declared an end to its most recent Ebola outbreak, three months after the first case was reported in the capital city, Kampala.

The Ministry of Health shared the news on Saturday via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, celebrating the milestone and confirming that 42 days had passed since the last patient was discharged – meeting the World Health Organization’s criteria for declaring an outbreak over.

“During this outbreak, 14 cases were reported – 12 confirmed through laboratory testing and two classified as probable. Tragically, four people died, including two confirmed and two probable cases. Ten individuals recovered,” the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the Ugandan government and healthcare workers for their swift and coordinated response. “Congratulations to the government and health workers of Uganda on ending the Ebola outbreak,” he posted on X.

This outbreak, Uganda’s eighth involving the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, began on January 30 when a male nurse contracted the virus and later succumbed to the disease. Notably, there is currently no approved vaccine for the Sudan strain.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also applauded Uganda’s achievement.

“This success reflects not only scientific and operational excellence but also the strength of African unity and leadership,” said Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. “Uganda has demonstrated that collective action and resilience can overcome even the most formidable public health challenges.”