Uganda’s Minister of Health on Tuesday declared the country Ebola-free following the successful containment of the latest outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic disease, which infected 20 people and claimed two lives.
Uganda has experienced several Ebola outbreaks since recording its first epidemic in 2000. However, health authorities say the country has developed the expertise needed to contain recent outbreaks swiftly, with limited community transmission.
According to health officials, 15 of the 20 confirmed cases recorded during the latest outbreak, which was declared in mid-May, were imported from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicentre of the regional epidemic, where more than 3,000 confirmed cases have been reported.
The last Ebola patient in Uganda, a Congolese national, was discharged on 22 June.
Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said the declaration followed the successful completion of the mandatory 42-day monitoring period, which began after the last Ugandan national infected through local transmission was discharged on 16 June 2026.
He said that of the 20 confirmed cases, 18 patients recovered and were discharged, while two died from the virus. Both fatalities were nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Throughout this period, the Ministry of Health maintained intensive surveillance nationwide, and no new Ebola cases have been detected,” Baryomunsi said.
Health officials noted that Uganda remains vulnerable to recurring Ebola outbreaks because of its extensive tropical forests, which are home to fruit bats, the natural reservoir of the virus.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids or tissues of an infected person. Common symptoms include headache, muscle pain, vomiting blood and bleeding.
