Uganda discharges last Ebola patient, declares disease‑free

The last patient being treated for Ebola in Uganda has been discharged from hospital, leaving the country with no active confirmed cases of the deadly disease.

‘A moment of joy’, the Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi said at a ceremony marking the occasion.

The outbreak began when a man who had travelled from nearby Democratic Republic of Congo was confirmed as the first case in May. The virulence, a Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus, prompted swift screening and isolation measures as soon as the outbreak was declared.

Uganda’s health ministry has a 42‑day countdown before it can be officially declared Ebola‑free, provided no new infections arise. It has urged people to remain vigilant, to seek immediate care if they develop fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding.

In total, Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, most of which were among visitors from the DRC. The country has long dealt with Ebola outbreaks over the last two decades and now has well‑established protocols, including isolation of suspected cases, contact tracing, and targeted public health messages.