WHO declared Uganda free from ebola outbreak.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has hailed the end of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda following a 42-day period without a new confirmed case.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commended Uganda for its ability to take decisive action in mitigating the spread of the disease.

“With a focus on preparedness, increased surveillance to find potential cases in health facilities and communities, and careful management of points of entry, countries can keep people and goods moving while ensuring people stay safe, or receive care if they are sick,” he said.

Uganda interrupted local transmission of the disease and prevented wider spread through strong government leadership, early comprehensive action, isolation and clinical care, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.

H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, also commended the leadership of Uganda, emphasising the importance of decisive leadership in building trust in communities and providing health services to the public.

Uganda announced the interruption of local transmission on 28 July after completing 42 days without a new locally acquired case. Disease surveillance and other outbreak control measures continued following the discharge of the last imported patient on July 16

During the outbreak, 20 cases of Ebola disease were confirmed in Uganda. Fifteen cases were imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while five were locally acquired among contacts and health workers linked to imported cases.

The organisations urged countries to maintain disease surveillance and testing capacity, rapidly investigate alerts, strengthen infection prevention and control in health facilities and communities, sustain community engagement, and enhance cross-border coordination.

WHO also advised against imposing travel and trade restrictions related to Ebola outbreaks, saying countries should not suspend flights, close borders, or deny entry to travellers from affected countries.

Instead, countries were encouraged to maintain international travel and trade while implementing proportionate public health measures that support early detection, preparedness, and cross-border collaboration.

Both organisations said they would continue supporting the governments of Uganda and the DRC under a joint continental preparedness and response plan.

They added that ending Ebola transmission in the DRC remained a central priority for protecting communities across the region.