editor
Uganda has officially announced the end of its latest battle with the deadly Ebola virus, three months after the outbreak first emerged in the busy streets of its capital, Kampala.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Health shared the good news with the nation, confirming that the Sudan strain of the virus had been contained. “Good news! The current Ebola Sudan Virus Disease outbreak has officially come to an end,” read the statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. Officials explained that the announcement came after 42 consecutive days passed without any new infections, following the discharge of the last patient.
The ministry did not immediately update the final number of infections and deaths. However, in its last public report in early March, authorities said there had been at least ten confirmed cases and two deaths linked to the outbreak.
This marks Uganda’s ninth Ebola outbreak since the virus was first detected there in 2000. Despite the country’s frequent exposure to the disease—partly because of its lush tropical forests that harbor the virus—Uganda has earned a reputation for moving swiftly to control outbreaks before they spiral.
The latest outbreak began in Kampala, a vibrant city of four million and a major crossroads for travelers heading toward neighboring countries like Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its strategic location raised early fears that the virus could spread rapidly across borders.
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Compounding concerns was the fact that the Sudan strain of Ebola, unlike other versions, has no licensed vaccine. That made Uganda’s success in stopping the virus even more remarkable. Health experts credit the country’s quick action, informed by years of hard-earned experience, for preventing a wider crisis.
Uganda’s neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo, has faced more than a dozen Ebola outbreaks, including a devastating episode between 2018 and 2020 that claimed nearly 2,300 lives. Learning from such regional challenges, Uganda has built up a strong network of health workers and emergency responders ready to act at the first signs of trouble.
Even as Uganda celebrates this victory, officials warn that the threat is never far away. With natural reservoirs of the virus still present in the region’s forests, future outbreaks are always a possibility.
