KAMPALA, August 27, 2026 — The World Health Organization [WHO] and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention [Africa CDC] have welcomed the end of Uganda’s Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus species, following 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case.
The declaration follows the discharge of Uganda’s last Ebola patient, an imported case, from care on July 16.
Completion of the 42-day period, twice the upper limit of Ebola’s incubation period, provides an additional safeguard that no chains of transmission linked to the last imported case have been missed. The 42-day period is the internationally established benchmark for confirming that transmission associated with an Ebola outbreak has ended.
“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
“With a focus on preparedness, increased surveillance to find potential cases in health facilities and communities, and careful management of points of entry, countries can keep people and goods moving while ensuring people stay safe, or receive care if they are sick,” he added.
Uganda, with support from national and international partners, rapidly interrupted local transmission and prevented wider spread through early and comprehensive measures.
These included case detection and confirmation, contact tracing, isolation and clinical care, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.
“Uganda has shown that Ebola can be stopped when leadership acts decisively, communities are trusted and public health systems reach people quickly,” said Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya.
“This is a victory for Uganda and an important lesson for our continent. We must now protect this achievement while accelerating the response in the DRC. We will only be secure when transmission is stopped everywhere,” he said.
Uganda announced the interruption of local transmission on July 28, after completing 42 days without a new locally acquired case. Outbreak control measures, including disease surveillance, continued after the last imported patient was discharged on July 16.
The completion of the additional monitoring period confirms that no further transmission has been detected in Uganda.
“Ending an Ebola outbreak is an important milestone, but the lasting achievement is a stronger ability to protect people from future health threats,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“Uganda has shown what sustained investment in preparedness can deliver. WHO will continue working with the government and partners to help preserve these gains and keep communities safe,” he added.
Uganda reported 20 confirmed cases of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus after the outbreak was declared on May 15, 2026.
Of the 20 cases, 15 were imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC], while five were locally acquired among contacts and health workers linked to imported cases. Eighteen patients recovered and two died. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored.
The declaration comes as Ebola continues to spread in the DRC, leaving neighbouring countries at risk of imported cases because of close social and economic ties, frequent population movement and cross-border trade.
WHO continues to advise against travel and trade restrictions in response to Ebola outbreaks. It does not recommend suspending flights, closing borders or denying entry to travellers from affected countries.
Instead, countries are encouraged to maintain international travel and trade while implementing proportionate public health measures to support early detection, preparedness and cross-border collaboration.
Africa CDC and WHO have called for enhanced outbreak preparedness and readiness, including continued disease surveillance and testing capacity, rapid investigation of alerts, strong infection prevention and control in health facilities and communities, sustained community engagement and close operational coordination across borders.
Both organisations will continue supporting the governments of Uganda and the DRC under the joint continental preparedness and response plan.
Ending Ebola transmission in the DRC remains a central priority for protecting communities across the region.
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