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Warning against premature Ebola-free claims while DRC outbreak rages

Published July 28, 2026 at 4:03 PM UTC

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While Uganda's progress in containing its Ebola outbreak is commendable, some public health experts caution that declaring the country 'Ebola free' may be premature given the proximity to the ongoing DRC epidemic. The DRC outbreak is far from over, with new cases still being reported near the Ugandan border. The risk of cross-border transmission is high, and a single undetected case could reignite the outbreak in Uganda. Critics argue that the declaration could lead to complacency, reducing vigilance among health workers and border officials. They point out that the DRC outbreak has already spread to Uganda once, and the conditions that allowed it – population movement, insecurity, and limited healthcare access – remain unchanged. Furthermore, the declaration is based on a technical definition that assumes no undetected chains of transmission, but surveillance gaps in border communities could hide cases. Instead of celebrating, Uganda should maintain a high level of alert and continue aggressive surveillance for at least several more weeks. The WHO has cautioned against lowering guard and has urged continued support for cross-border coordination. The real measure of success will come only when the DRC outbreak is also brought under control. Until then, any claim of being Ebola free carries a risk of sending the wrong message to both the public and international donors.