Uganda is not out of the woods yet, at least according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization believes that this East African country remains exposed to the risk of Ebola, despite the announcement by Ugandan authorities that the epidemic in the country has ended. The WHO explains that this declaration is based on criteria different from its own and emphasizes that the circulation of the virus in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to pose a threat of cross-border transmission.
The Ugandan Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that the country was “Ebola-free,” following 42 days since the discharge from the hospital, on June 16, 2026, of the last confirmed case of local transmission. The WHO stated it acknowledges this announcement, while clarifying that it “does not mean the risk has disappeared.” According to the organization, this declaration only reflects the absence of ongoing local transmission as observed by Ugandan health authorities.
The organization notes that the criteria used by Kampala differ from its standard recommendation. The WHO’s recommendation is to wait 42 days from the last potential exposure to the last case, whether it is an imported case or not. However, the last case imported from the DRC was discharged from the hospital on July 16, 2026, the WHO continues. It therefore indicates that it will continue its surveillance for an additional 42 days from that date to ensure that no transmission chain has escaped the surveillance system.
The organization also insists on the need for Uganda to maintain a high level of vigilance and preparedness, due to the ongoing epidemic in neighboring regions of the DRC and cross-border movements that could facilitate the spread of the virus.
Since May 15, the DRC has been facing its 17th Ebola epidemic, concentrated in the east of the country. This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. According to data reported by the WHO, Congolese authorities have recorded 3,360 cases, including 1,487 deaths. In Uganda, 20 cases, including two fatalities, have been identified.
Ebola is a viral disease transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people and causes hemorrhagic fever. Over the past fifty years, it has caused more than 15,000 deaths in Africa.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-29 19:53:39 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
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