Uganda has discharged its last confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) patient, leaving the country with no active confirmed cases as health authorities begin a mandatory 42-day countdown before the outbreak can officially be declared over.
The survivor was discharged from the Ebola isolation unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital during a ceremony presided over by Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, who presented a certificate to the patient after successful treatment and recovery.
However, Baryomunsi cautioned that the discharge does not immediately mean Uganda is Ebola-free, explaining that the country must complete the World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended monitoring period without recording any new infections.
“Discharging the last patient does not mean that we are now Ebola-free. The international guidelines require that when we discharge the last patient, we begin the countdown,” Baryomunsi said.
He explained that since Ebola has an incubation period of up to 21 days, Uganda must complete two incubation cycles, totaling 42 days, without registering any new confirmed cases before the outbreak can be officially declared over.
“The incubation period of Ebola disease is up to 21 days, so we count two cycles of the incubation period. We start with the first 21 days and then another 21 days, making 42 days. If we do not register any positive case during that period, then Uganda will receive the declaration,” he said.
The minister urged health workers and the public to remain vigilant during the countdown period, emphasizing the need to continue surveillance, reporting of suspected cases and adherence to public health measures.
“The standard operating procedures and the public health specialists we have will continue advocating for vigilance because, as I have said, this is an important outbreak,” he added.
Baryomunsi said Uganda’s progress differs from the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Ebola cases and deaths continue to be reported.
“What we are celebrating here is different from what is happening in the DRC. The DRC outbreak is still ongoing, with many positive cases still being registered,” he said.
Uganda’s outbreak involved 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, while the DRC has reported a significantly larger outbreak with thousands of confirmed cases and hundreds of deaths.
The discharge ceremony was attended by the Director General of Health Services, Prof. Charles Olaro; Ministry of Health Under Secretary Kenneth Akiiri; representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF Uganda, Africa CDC and other senior health officials.
Uganda declared the Ebola outbreak on May 16 after confirmed cases were detected following the death of a Congolese national in Kampala. The country responded through intensified surveillance, contact tracing, temporary suspension of flights to Congo, treatment of patients and nationwide public awareness campaigns.
