Uganda Declared Ebola-Free after Completing 42-day Monitoring Period

July 28, 2026 in by Editor

Uganda has officially declared the end of the 2026 Ebola outbreak after completing the mandatory 42-day monitoring period without a new locally transmitted case, paving the way for the recovery of tourism, trade and investor confidence.

 

Uganda has officially declared the end of the 2026 Ebola outbreak after completing the mandatory 42-day monitoring period without recording a new locally transmitted case, clearing the way for the country to intensify efforts to revive tourism, trade and investor confidence.

The declaration by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday follows the discharge of the last Ugandan Ebola patient on June 16, 2026, after which health authorities began the internationally required 42-day countdown before declaring the outbreak over.

“Today, Uganda is Ebola free,” the Ministry of Health announced.

The outbreak, declared on May 15, 2026, was linked to infections imported from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Ebola transmission remains active.

Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi said Uganda registered 20 confirmed Ebola cases during the outbreak, including 15 imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eighteen patients recovered while two succumbed to the disease, according to the Ministry of Health.

He explained that although another Ebola patient from the DRC was treated and discharged on July 16, that case did not affect Uganda’s countdown because the patient entered the country in a cargo truck and had no contact with the local population.

“We have not registered any positive case in Uganda since June 16. In line with international protocols, we declare Uganda Ebola free,” Baryomunsi said.

The minister cautioned, however, that the declaration should not lead to complacency, warning that the source of the outbreak remains active across the border.

“Uganda agreed with the DRC to establish two 80-bed field hospitals and mobile Ebola testing laboratories at Aruu and Kasenyi inside the DRC to contain the outbreak at its source,” he said.

Health authorities urged communities in border districts to remain vigilant and report anyone entering the country through illegal crossing points, particularly those displaying Ebola-like symptoms.

Members of the public have also been encouraged to report suspected cases through the ministry’s toll-free 6767 SMS platform or seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health facility.

The declaration is expected to remove a significant obstacle that has weighed on Uganda’s economy over the past two months.

The outbreak triggered heightened health surveillance, disrupted cross-border trade and prompted some countries to issue travel advisories against Uganda. The tourism industry, aviation sector and hospitality businesses also faced cancellations as international travellers postponed visits amid concerns over the disease.

During the outbreak, Uganda strengthened cross-border surveillance and worked with neighbouring DRC to contain transmission at its source, recognising the risk posed by the porous frontier shared by the two countries.

Baryomunsi appealed to governments that imposed travel restrictions on Uganda during the outbreak to review and lift them following the country’s Ebola-free declaration.

“We invite visitors, business people and investors to come to Uganda,” he said.

Baryomunsi also urged the international community to base travel decisions on scientific evidence rather than fear when responding to Ebola outbreaks. He noted that in the more than five decades since Ebola was first identified, only 29 cases have been exported outside Africa, the majority involving healthcare workers who were medically evacuated after contracting the virus while treating patients. The record, he said, demonstrates that Ebola presents a minimal risk of transmission through international travel and should not automatically trigger broad travel restrictions.

However, Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo will remain under heightened surveillance and existing public health controls because the Ebola outbreak is still active across the border. Health officials said the continued restrictions are intended to prevent the importation of new cases while response efforts continue in eastern DRC.