Africa-Press. The Ugandan Health Minister announced that the country is free of Ebola, following the recent outbreak of the viral hemorrhagic disease that infected 20 individuals and resulted in the deaths of two.
Uganda has experienced multiple outbreaks of Ebola since 2000, when it recorded its first epidemic. Officials state that the country has gained experience over the years that enabled it to control the recent infections swiftly with limited community spread.
Fifteen individuals were infected in the latest outbreak, which was declared in mid-May, originating from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak, where the number of confirmed cases has exceeded 3,000.
The last patient infected with the Ebola virus in Uganda, a Congolese national, was discharged from the hospital on June 22. This is less than the 42-day waiting period required by the World Health Organization to declare the end of an outbreak.
However, the Health Minister stated that this announcement comes after successfully completing the mandatory 42-day monitoring period, which began after the last Ugandan citizen, a patient who contracted the virus locally, was discharged from the hospital on June 16, 2026.
Among the 20 confirmed cases during the outbreak, 18 patients were discharged from the hospital, while two died from the virus, both from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Minister stated, “During this period, the Ministry of Health maintained intensive monitoring nationwide, and no new cases of Ebola virus infection were reported.”
Officials indicate that Uganda’s dense tropical forests, which are home to fruit bats that are natural reservoirs for the virus, make it susceptible to recurring outbreaks. The virus is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissues, with symptoms including headaches, bloody vomiting, muscle pain, and bleeding.
