Uganda Announces End of Ebola Outbreak, Yet Regional Risks Remain

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (at podium) briefs reporters on the status of the Ebola virus outbreak. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Gartenby Shreya Komar (united nations)Friday, August 28, 2026Inter Press Service UNITED NATIONS, August 28 (IPS) - Following 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case, The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have announced the end of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda. The outbreak began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda in May and was caused by a rare strain of the Ebola virus known as the Bundibugyo species. There are no approved vaccines or therapeutics against the Bundibugyo strain, though several are currently being trialed in the DRC, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The virus is highly contagious and can still be transmitted after an infected person has died. Uganda’s last patient, whose infection was imported, was discharged from care on 16 July 2026, and no new cases have been reported since. “Uganda has shown that Ebola can be stopped when leadership acts decisively, communities are trusted and public health systems reach people quickly,” said H.E. Dr Je...