Uganda Declares Ebola Outbreak Over — But Danger Remains Across the Border

Uganda has officially ended its outbreak of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus after completing the required 42-day countdown without another confirmed case.

The declaration represents an important public-health victory in a regional epidemic that has devastated neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

The World Health Organization and Africa CDC confirmed the end of Uganda's outbreak after enhanced surveillance found no further chain of transmission.

Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases during the outbreak. WHO's earlier reporting documented imported infections from Congo as well as secondary cases among contacts and healthcare workers.

The situation across the border remains markedly different.

WHO says the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country. It has spread across several provinces amid insecurity, population displacement, high mobility and limited access to healthcare.

The Bundibugyo strain presents an additional challenge because there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although candidate products are being evaluated.

Uganda's success therefore should not be interpreted as the end of the regional emergency. Cross-border movement means continued surveillance remains essential.

Source attribution: World Health Organization; Africa CDC; Reuters, 26–27 August 2026.