Uganda discharges last Ebola patient, starts 42-day countdown
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi presided over the discharge ceremony at the hospital's isolation unit, presenting the recovered patient, a Congolese national, with an official Ebola discharge certificate confirming he no longer poses a transmission risk.
Baryomunsi described the moment as "a moment of joy," saying it showed that early detection, prompt treatment and a strong health system could defeat Ebola.
Uganda recorded a total of 20 confirmed cases since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including 15 Congolese nationals and five Ugandans, with two deaths. The outbreak involved the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, first detected in a patient who had travelled from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo for treatment.
Under WHO guidelines, an outbreak can only be declared over after 42 consecutive days, equivalent to two maximum Ebola incubation periods, pass without a new confirmed case following the date the last patient stopped being able to transmit the virus.
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Baryomunsi cautioned that discharging the last patient does not mean Uganda is Ebola-free yet, and that the countdown must run its full course first.
Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja confirmed the discharge in advance in a post on X on Wednesday night, saying the patient's release would trigger the official countdown.
The minister added that Uganda was engaging with countries that had imposed travel advisories during the outbreak, expressing hope that those restrictions would ease as the country moves through the Ebola-free countdown.
The outbreak that spread into Uganda originated in DR Congo, where the WHO declared a public health emergency in May. As of this week, the country has recorded more than 2,000 confirmed cases and at least 754 deaths, with the WHO warning that actual case numbers could be two to four times higher due to underreporting.
