Uganda Officially Declared Free of Ebola After Successful Containment Campaign

2026-08-28 region

Kampala, 28 August 2026
Following 42 days without any new infections, Uganda has officially ended its Ebola outbreak, marking a major public health victory and easing regional cross-border travel anxieties.

Successful Containment of the Bundibugyo Strain

The official declaration ending the Ebola outbreak in Uganda came on 27 August 2026, following the completion of the mandatory 42-day monitoring countdown [2]. This milestone was reached after 42 consecutive days passed with zero new confirmed cases since the last patient was discharged on 16 July 2026 [2]. The outbreak, which was first declared on 15 May 2026, was caused by the Bundibugyo virus species [2]. Throughout the response period, health authorities identified and monitored more than 800 contacts, successfully bringing the localized outbreak under control [1][2].

Clinical Outcomes and Healthcare Support

In total, Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases of the virus during this period [2]. Analysis of the transmission vectors shows that 15 of these cases were imported from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while five were locally acquired among contacts and health workers [2]. Out of the 20 infected individuals, 18 successfully recovered and two died, representing a recovery rate of 90% [1][2][5]. Non-governmental organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) played a critical role in this containment effort by rehabilitating a 32-bed Ebola treatment unit in Mulago, Kampala, and renovating a 19-bed isolation centre in Bwera, near the DRC border [5].

Cross-Border Dynamics and Regional Safety

The successful containment of the virus brings significant relief to the East African region, reducing health risks and travel anxieties for cross-border traders, local communities, and displaced populations [GPT]. Uganda shares an 877 km border with the northeast region of the DRC, making cross-border health security a vital component of regional stability [4]. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), noted that decisive action and careful management of points of entry allow countries to keep goods and people moving safely while ensuring those who fall ill receive prompt care [1][2].

Bilateral Health Collaboration and the Ongoing Fight in the DRC

While Uganda has successfully interrupted local transmission, the regional risk remains high due to the ongoing public health emergency in the neighbouring DRC [3][6]. As of 27 August 2026, the DRC reported 5,794 confirmed Ebola cases and 2,786 deaths, with 843 patients currently in isolation across six affected provinces [3]. To address the persistent threat at its source, Ugandan and Congolese officials met in Kampala on 24 August 2026 to review a bilateral memorandum of understanding on cross-border health security [4]. Uganda is actively supporting treatment and laboratory capacities at two key sites in Aru and Kasenyi within the DRC’s Ituri province, and has plans to establish two additional treatment centres in the country [4].

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Ebola outbreak regional health