Uganda’s Health Minister Declares Country Free Of Ebola

Uganda’s Minister of Health, Chris Baryomunsi, has declared the country free of Ebola following the successful containment of its latest outbreak of the deadly viral haemorrhagic disease.

The declaration, made on Tuesday, comes after health authorities confirmed that no new Ebola infections had been recorded since the outbreak was brought under control through intensified surveillance and response measures.

The latest outbreak infected 20 people and claimed two lives, according to the Ugandan Ministry of Health.

Health officials said 15 of the confirmed cases were linked to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which remains the epicentre of the ongoing Ebola epidemic. The DRC has recorded more than 3,000 confirmed Ebola cases since the current outbreak began.

Announcing the development, Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said the country’s disease surveillance system remained active throughout the response period, helping to ensure that no additional cases emerged.

“Throughout this period the ministry of health maintained intensive surveillance nationwide and no new Ebola cases have been detected,” Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said.

Uganda’s declaration marks the official end of the country’s latest Ebola outbreak after weeks of monitoring, contact tracing and public health interventions aimed at preventing further transmission of the virus.

Despite the milestone, health authorities are expected to maintain heightened surveillance, particularly along border communities with the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease continues to pose a public health challenge due to cross-border movement.

Uganda has experienced several Ebola outbreaks over the years but has built a reputation for responding swiftly through early detection, contact tracing, community sensitisation and coordinated public health measures to contain the spread of the disease.