Uganda has marked a critical milestone in its battle against Ebola, discharging its very last active patient and leaving the country with zero active confirmed cases of the viral disease.
At a ceremony celebrating the achievement, Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi described the milestone as a: “moment of joy”
Reflecting on the successful containment, he added:
“It demonstrates that with early detection, prompt treatment and a strong health system, Ebola can be defeated,”
Despite the positive news, health authorities are not letting their guard down. The ministry has urged the public to “remain vigilant” and released a statement on X advising:
“If you develop symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, seek immediate medical care,”
The outbreak in Uganda began in May after a man traveled from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to seek medical care. Over the course of the outbreak, Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases, primarily among visitors from the DRC, and two deaths.
With the last patient discharged, Uganda has started a mandatory 42-day countdown. If no new infections are detected in this timeframe, the country will officially be declared Ebola-free.
Uganda’s swift containment of the virus is credited to well-established protocols built over two decades of managing similar outbreaks, including:
Immediate isolation of suspected cases
Rigorous contact tracing
Targeted public health communication
While Uganda celebrates this milestone, the situation remains highly critical in the DRC, the epicenter of the epidemic where nearly 800 people have died.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that this has become the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record, spreading at an alarming rate.
He noted that the virus is moving faster than in previous outbreaks, with 80% of new cases in the DRC originating from unknown transmission chains.
Official government data in the DRC reports over 2,000 confirmed infections and 796 deaths.
However, experts suspect the virus went undetected in communities for months before the official declaration.
Addressing reporters at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Tedros noted:
“About two-thirds of deaths are occurring in communities, among people who never receive care in a health facility,”
Earlier in the week, a WHO official suggested the true scale of the outbreak could be up to four times larger than official numbers indicate.
Containing the virus in the DRC presents unique hurdles. This outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
Local health workers are overwhelmed, facing shortages of beds, testing resources, and contact-tracing capabilities, alongside community mistrust and active armed conflict.
To scale up the response, the WHO is seeking $115 million in funding, but has so far only raised $45 million. Tedros urged donor nations to close the gap, stating:
“This is not charity, it’s an investment in national security,”
In response to the deteriorating situation in the DRC, the United States has escalated travel restrictions. US citizens who have visited the DRC must now spend 21 days in a third country before being allowed back into the United States.
Previously, travelers were permitted entry through select US airports equipped with screening facilities.
This policy shift has raised concerns among aid organizations. Franklin Graham, CEO of an organization operating Ebola treatment centers, told the Reuters news agency that:
The new rule could affect recruitment of US medics who want to work in Ebola-affected areas and the scale of operations,
