Uganda Declared Ebola-Free as Deadly Outbreak Continues to Spread in Congo

Kampala/Kinshasa, August 28, 2026: A major development in Africa’s fight against Ebola has brought both relief and renewed concern after the World Health Organization confirmed the end of the outbreak in Uganda while the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to battle one of the most severe Ebola emergencies in its history.

The contrasting situations highlight how quickly Ebola transmission can be brought under control when surveillance, contact tracing and community cooperation work effectively, but also how difficult containment becomes when an outbreak is unfolding across remote and conflict-affected areas.

Uganda Completes the 42-Day Safety Period

The World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced on August 27 that Uganda had officially ended its Ebola outbreak after completing 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case.

The period is internationally used as an important benchmark because it represents twice the upper limit of Ebola’s incubation period.

Uganda’s outbreak involved the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus. Authorities recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, while 18 patients recovered. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored during the response.

The successful containment represents a significant public-health achievement for Uganda.

How Uganda Contained the Virus

Uganda’s response relied heavily on rapid identification of suspected infections, isolation of patients, contact tracing and continued surveillance.

Health authorities also maintained monitoring after the last patient was discharged, ensuring that undetected transmission chains had not continued within communities.

The final imported patient was discharged on July 16 after receiving treatment and testing negative twice.

The subsequent 42-day monitoring period passed without evidence of further transmission.

Congo Faces a Much Larger Crisis

Across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo, however, the situation is dramatically different.

The Ebola outbreak there has expanded across several provinces and has become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country.

The current outbreak is also among the fastest-growing Ebola emergencies documented in modern history.

Recent international reporting has put the number of confirmed cases above 5,700, with more than 2,700 deaths reported.

The scale of the outbreak has placed enormous pressure on healthcare workers and medical facilities.

Six Provinces Are Affected

The outbreak has spread across multiple provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele.

The geographic expansion is particularly worrying because people frequently move between affected communities for trade, employment, family reasons and access to essential services.

Cross-border movement also creates a continuing risk for neighbouring countries.

Uganda’s successful response therefore does not eliminate the possibility that new cases could be imported from Congo.

Conflict Makes the Response Harder

One of the biggest challenges facing health authorities in Congo is insecurity.

Some affected communities are located in areas where armed conflict and instability restrict access for medical teams.

When healthcare workers cannot safely reach communities, cases can remain undetected for longer periods.

Health facilities themselves may also face shortages of staff, protective equipment and essential supplies.

These conditions create an environment in which Ebola can spread before authorities identify transmission chains.

Health Workers Face Extraordinary Pressure

Doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, community health workers and other frontline personnel remain at the centre of the response.

They must care for infected patients while protecting themselves from exposure.

The crisis has also been complicated by shortages and disruptions affecting healthcare workers.

In some areas, medical personnel have reportedly faced difficult working conditions, adding another layer of pressure to an already fragile health system.

Protecting healthcare workers is therefore essential not only for patient care but also for maintaining the wider outbreak response.

Vaccination Campaign Begins in Congo

Congo has begun an emergency vaccination campaign as authorities attempt to slow transmission.

More than 50,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine have been made available for use under a special programme. The vaccine is approved for the Zaire species of Ebola, whereas the current Congo outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus.

Because there is no vaccine currently approved specifically for Bundibugyo Ebola, researchers are studying whether existing vaccination approaches can provide protection.

A clinical trial is also being used to gather evidence about the vaccine’s effectiveness against the current virus strain.

Scientists Race to Develop Better Protection

The outbreak has intensified international efforts to develop vaccines and treatments specifically targeting Bundibugyo Ebola.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has committed up to $16.5 million to support development of an experimental Bundibugyo vaccine candidate being developed by Egypt’s Minapharm Group.

The project is intended to advance the vaccine toward human clinical trials in Africa.

The development of a dedicated vaccine could become an important long-term tool for preventing future outbreaks.

Uganda Remains Vigilant

Although Uganda has officially ended its outbreak, health authorities are not abandoning surveillance.

The country’s geographic proximity to Congo means that imported infections remain possible.

WHO and Africa CDC have encouraged neighbouring countries to maintain disease monitoring, laboratory testing, rapid investigation of alerts and preparedness at border crossings.

Uganda is also expected to continue cooperating with Congo in the regional response.

No Need for Broad Travel Restrictions

International health authorities have stressed that the Ebola outbreak does not justify blanket travel bans or widespread restrictions on international trade.

Instead, countries are encouraged to strengthen surveillance and ensure that suspected cases can be rapidly detected and isolated.

This approach aims to protect public health without creating unnecessary disruption to communities and economies.

A Race Against Time

The Congo outbreak has become a race against time.

Every additional transmission chain makes containment more difficult, particularly when cases move between communities before symptoms are recognized.

Health authorities must therefore combine testing, contact tracing, treatment, community education and infection-control measures.

Public trust is equally important.

Misinformation or fear can discourage people from seeking medical treatment or cooperating with contact tracers, potentially allowing transmission to continue unnoticed.

The Contrast Between Two Neighbours

Uganda and Congo now present two very different Ebola stories.

Uganda has demonstrated that sustained surveillance and rapid intervention can bring an outbreak under control.

Congo, meanwhile, shows how insecurity, population displacement, limited healthcare access and rapid geographic expansion can make the same virus extraordinarily difficult to contain.

The contrast provides valuable lessons for public-health authorities across Africa and beyond.

What Happens Next?

The immediate priority in Congo is to reduce transmission, protect healthcare workers and expand access to treatment and testing.

International agencies are seeking additional funding and medical resources to support the response.

The successful end of Uganda’s outbreak offers an encouraging example, but the continuing emergency in Congo means the regional threat has not disappeared.

For neighbouring countries, maintaining preparedness will remain essential.

The broader lesson from the current crisis is clear: ending an Ebola outbreak requires more than treating patients—it requires surveillance, community trust, secure access to affected areas, trained health workers and sustained international support.

Uganda’s achievement demonstrates what effective containment can accomplish. Congo’s continuing struggle shows why that success must be protected through regional cooperation.

Note: Ebola case and death totals can change as investigations, laboratory testing and reporting systems are updated. The figures above reflect the latest information available as of August 28, 2026.