On Tuesday, Uganda’s Minister of Health, Chris Baryomunsi, announced that the country had met all the requirements to be declared Ebola-free after completing the mandatory 42-day monitoring period for patients and their contacts.
He said the monitoring period began after the last confirmed Ebola patient in Uganda was discharged from hospital on June 16, 2026.
Since the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus re-emerged in Uganda, 20 confirmed cases were recorded. Of those, 18 patients recovered and were discharged, while two people died from the disease. Both of the deceased were citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Minister Baryomunsi said the Ministry of Health had maintained intensive nationwide surveillance throughout the monitoring period and that no new Ebola cases had been detected.
“Throughout this period, the Ministry of Health maintained rigorous nationwide surveillance, and no additional Ebola cases were identified,” he said.
Fifteen of Uganda’s confirmed Ebola cases were linked to infections acquired in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which remains the main source of the outbreak.
In the DRC, the number of Ebola cases has surpassed 3,000.
Uganda is one of several East African countries that have experienced recurring Ebola outbreaks. The country recorded its first Ebola outbreak in 2000.
