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A weekly development news platform published by UrgeDevWire, produced by Urge Communications. Covering wider East African region.

Inside Health News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire

Uganda begins countdown to declare end of Ebola outbreak

Kampala, 16 July 2026

The World Health Organization said Uganda has begun the mandatory countdown toward declaring the end of its Ebola outbreak following the discharge of the country's last hospitalised patient. Uganda declared the outbreak on 15 May 2026 and, as of 16 July, had reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, of which 15 resulted from importation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and five were locally acquired.

Chris Baryomunsi, Uganda's Minister of Health, said the milestone showed that Ebola is defeatable when countries adhere to control measures and establish strong response systems. He said it had been two months since the outbreak was declared and that the country was now marking the discharge of its last patient as a significant step toward recovery.

WHO said a mandatory follow up period must elapse with no new confirmed cases before an outbreak can formally be declared over, in line with standard protocols for Ebola disease outbreaks. Uganda's response has included cross border coordination with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, given continued transmission across the shared border region.

Source: World Health Organization

Inside Health News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire