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Uganda declares itself Ebola free as DR Congo cases surge

Published July 28, 2026 at 4:03 PM UTC

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Uganda has officially declared itself free of the Ebola virus, just over a month after an outbreak was confirmed in the country. The announcement comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to battle a major outbreak that has now claimed more than 1,400 lives. Uganda's health ministry said the declaration follows 42 days – two incubation periods – without any new cases reported. The outbreak in Uganda, linked to the DRC epidemic, infected a small number of people and was contained quickly through strict surveillance and vaccination of health workers. The DRC outbreak, which began in August 2018, has become the second-largest Ebola epidemic in history, with over 2,000 confirmed cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) had earlier expressed concern about the risk of cross-border transmission, but Uganda's rapid response appears to have prevented a wider spread. The declaration is a welcome sign for Uganda, but the situation in the DRC remains a challenge, with new cases still emerging in conflict-affected regions where health workers face insecurity and community mistrust. Experts say that while Uganda's success is encouraging, the risk of cross-border spread persists as long as the DRC outbreak continues. The focus now shifts to supporting the DRC's efforts to bring its outbreak under control.