Uganda is a landlocked East African state whose capital is Kampala. Its western frontier with DR Congo places it near recurrent zoonotic disease risks from the Congo Basin. The country’s health system has direct experience of Ebola containment, including a 2022 Sudan ebolavirus outbreak managed through contact tracing and community engagement.

Bundibugyo ebolavirus takes its name from Uganda’s Bundibugyo District, where the species was first identified in 2007. Uganda therefore has institutional experience with the pathogen as well as with outbreak control where matched vaccines and treatments are unavailable.

Uganda also hosts the Uganda Virus Research Institute and participates in ARILAC, an Africa CDC, African Society for Laboratory Medicine and EU programme that builds antimicrobial-resistance testing capacity across eight African states.

Key Issues

Ebola containment

Uganda declares its outbreak over

Uganda declared its Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over on 28 July, before the 42-day monitoring period due to end on 27 August. Its health ministry, the WHO and Africa CDC gave different accounts of why the declaration came early.

The declaration followed the discharge of Uganda’s last confirmed patient from Mulago Hospital in Kampala on 16 July. The cluster had recorded 20 cases and two deaths. Uganda’s response again relied on contact tracing and supportive care, methods used during its 2022 Sudan ebolavirus outbreak, because Bundibugyo Ebola had no licensed vaccine or treatment.

Cross-border response

Uganda extends its Ebola response

On 31 July, Uganda and DR Congo closed their shared border to non-essential travel for four weeks. Uganda screened 4,772 travellers across 32 entry points, turning its domestic outbreak response into a cross-border containment effort.

Uganda also supported two mobile laboratories and an 80-bed treatment unit inside DR Congo on 31 July. That placed testing and care nearer the active outbreak, rather than depending solely on border controls. For Uganda, whose Kampala cluster had cleared in July, the support reduced the risk of renewed importation from its western neighbour.

Common Questions

Uganda declares its outbreak over

Has Uganda's Ebola outbreak officially ended?

Not yet. Uganda discharged its last confirmed patient on 16 July 2026 and entered a 42-day countdown due around 27 August; a single new imported case from DRC would restart the clock.Source: WHO / Uganda Ministry of Health

What does ECDC say about the risk of Ebola spreading to Europe from Uganda?

ECDC rates the Onward risk to the EU from Uganda's Bundibugyo Ebola cluster as very low, citing the stalled case count and completed contact monitoring.Source: ECDC

How many of Uganda's Ebola cases came from local transmission?

Of Uganda's 20 confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola cases, 5 resulted from local, non-import transmission within Kampala and Wakiso; the remaining 15 were imported from DRC's Ituri Province.Source: ECDC

Is Uganda's Ebola outbreak still spreading?

No new case has been confirmed since 21 June 2026. ECDC's outbreak tracker classifies the cluster as stalled, with 15 of the 20 confirmed cases imported and 5 from local transmission.Source: ECDC

How many Ebola cases are there in Uganda right now?

Uganda's confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola tally reached 20 cases by mid-July 2026 (15 imported, 5 from local transmission), with the last new case recorded on 21 June. The last confirmed patient was discharged on 16 July, starting a 42-day countdown toward declaring the outbreak over around 27 August, which resets if a new case is imported from DRC.Source: WHO DON605, 29 May 2026

Has Uganda had Ebola before 2026?

Yes. Uganda managed a Sudan ebolavirus outbreak in 2022 (142 cases over 113 days) with no approved vaccine or treatment, containing it through contact tracing and supportive care. Uganda also had the first identified Bundibugyo outbreak in 2007 in Bundibugyo District, and has experienced sporadic cases from cross-border movement with DRC during the 2018-20 Kivu outbreak.Source: WHO; event ID:3361

How did Uganda contain Ebola in 2022 without a vaccine?

The 2022 Sudan ebolavirus outbreak (142 cases, 113 days) was contained entirely through contact tracing and supportive care. No approved vaccine or treatment exists for Sudan ebolavirus; Uganda relied on isolation, oral rehydration, and ring-tracing. The same approach is being applied to the 2026 Bundibugyo response.Source: WHO / Uganda MoH

How did Uganda confirm its first Ebola case in May 2026?

A 59-year-old Congolese man admitted to Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Kampala on 11 May 2026 died on 14 May. Permanent Secretary Diana Atwine confirmed the case as imported from DRC. A mobile lab was deployed to Bwera Hospital near the border and 25 contacts placed under monitoring.Source: Uganda Ministry of Health

Reference

Why is the Ebola outbreak named after a place in Uganda?

Bundibugyo ebolavirus takes its name from Bundibugyo District in western Uganda, where the species was first identified during a 2007 outbreak that produced 131 cases and 39 deaths. It is one of six species in the Orthoebolavirus genus; Bundibugyo District lies close to the DRC border, the ecological zone where Ebola spillovers have historically concentrated.Source: WHO species history

How has Uganda dealt with mpox outbreaks?

Uganda has managed mpox cases, including clade I cases linked to cross-border movement with the DRC, using its UVRI laboratory capacity. The country has existing One Health surveillance infrastructure developed through prior outbreak responses.

What is UVRI and what does it do in Uganda?

The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe is one of East Africa's leading virus surveillance and research centres. It has investigated Ebola outbreaks, conducted mpox case studies, and runs HIV and other endemic disease monitoring.

Recently resolved

Why is Uganda selected for ARILAC?

Uganda is one of eight AU member states chosen for ARILAC, launched 6 May 2026, to build AMR laboratory capacity. Its UVRI viral surveillance foundation makes it a candidate to extend into bacterial resistance monitoring under the programme.Source: Africa CDC

Source Material

Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (DON605)Uganda