KAMPALA, Uganda – Uganda has reached a major milestone in its fight against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain after the last confirmed Ebola survivor was discharged from the isolation unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The survivor was presented with a certificate by Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi, marking the completion of treatment and recovery as Uganda moves closer to being declared Ebola-free.
However, the country must now complete a mandatory 42-day monitoring period required by the World Health Organization (WHO) before an official declaration can be made, provided no new Ebola cases are detected.
The discharge of the final survivor represents a significant achievement for Uganda’s health authorities, who have been working to contain the outbreak since the first cases were confirmed.
Health Minister Dr Baryomunsi commended healthcare workers, surveillance teams and communities involved in controlling the spread of the virus.
The recovery of the last patient means there are currently no Ebola patients receiving treatment in isolation units, although health officials will continue monitoring contacts and suspected cases during the countdown period.
According to WHO guidelines, a country must observe two consecutive incubation periods of the Ebola virus – 42 days – after the last patient tests negative and is discharged before it can officially declare the outbreak over.
During this period, health authorities will maintain surveillance systems to quickly identify and respond to any possible new infections.
The government is expected to continue monitoring health facilities, border points and communities to ensure any suspected cases are detected early.
Uganda has previously experienced Ebola outbreaks, including the Sudan strain outbreak declared in 2022, which affected several districts and resulted in deaths among patients and healthcare workers.
The latest response involved isolation and treatment of patients, contact tracing, public awareness campaigns and strengthened infection prevention measures.
The discharge of the final survivor is considered a turning point in Uganda’s response because it signals that treatment efforts have succeeded and that transmission chains have been interrupted.
Health experts, however, caution that the 42-day countdown period remains critical because Ebola can re-emerge if an undetected case is identified.
Government has continued urging the public to report unusual symptoms, seek medical care early and cooperate with surveillance teams.
Uganda will now enter the WHO-required 42-day observation period.
If no additional Ebola cases are recorded during this time, the country will officially be declared free of the outbreak.
Health authorities have thanked medical workers and communities for their cooperation and called for continued vigilance until the countdown is completed.
