**Title: Uganda Declares End to Ebola Outbreak Amid Surge in DRC**
**Published: July 28, 2026**
Authorities in Uganda have officially declared the country free of Ebola, following a successful monitoring period that concluded without any new cases. This announcement comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) faces a significant surge in Ebola infections.
Uganda's Health Minister, Chris Baryomunsi, made the announcement on Tuesday, stating that the country had completed the mandatory 42-day observation period after the last Ugandan patient, who had contracted the virus through local transmission, was discharged on June 16, 2026. During this monitoring phase, the Ministry of Health implemented rigorous surveillance across the nation, ensuring that no new Ebola cases emerged.
Despite the positive news, Minister Baryomunsi urged the public to remain vigilant and continue adhering to public health guidelines to prevent any potential resurgence of the virus. "We must not let our guard down," he emphasized in a subsequent social media statement.
The outbreak in Uganda reported a total of 20 confirmed cases, of which 18 individuals were successfully treated and discharged. Unfortunately, two fatalities were recorded, both involving patients from the DRC, where a much larger outbreak has been ongoing since mid-May.
The situation in the DRC is alarming, with the Congolese Ministry of Health reporting at least 3,262 infections and 1,437 deaths attributed to the virus. This current outbreak is nearing the scale of the 2018-2020 outbreak, which was the largest ever documented in the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified this latest outbreak as the fastest spreading in history, estimating that the actual number of cases could be two to four times higher than the reported figures. The strain of the virus currently circulating in the DRC is Bundibugyo, the rarest of the four known Ebola variants affecting humans, and it lacks any approved vaccines or treatments.
Ebola is a severe viral hemorrhagic disease characterized by symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or those who have died from the disease.
As Uganda celebrates the end of its outbreak, the focus now shifts to the DRC, where health officials are working tirelessly to contain the spread of the virus and protect public health.