World Health Organization Announces Uganda is Free of Ebola Epidemic

The World Health Organization has officially announced that Uganda is free of the Ebola epidemic after no new cases were detected for 42 days. The announcement was made at a joint meeting held with the Ugandan Ministry of Health.

End of the Epidemic in Uganda

The World Health Organization, holding a joint press conference with the Ugandan Ministry of Health on August 25, officially announced that the East African country is completely free of the Ebola virus.

This decision was implemented after Uganda successfully completed the mandatory 42-day surveillance period without detecting any new infections.

Call for the Lifting of Travel Restrictions

Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, stated that the risk of the virus entering the country and the entire transmission chain had been thoroughly evaluated.

Atwine requested that countries which imposed travel restrictions on Uganda during the epidemic rapidly remove these barriers as there are no longer any compelling reasons.

Epidemic Statistics and Process

In the recent Ebola epidemic in Uganda, a total of 20 cases were recorded, including two deaths.

The last case was confirmed on June 21, and the patient was discharged from the Mulago National Isolation Center on July 16.

Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Contrary to the positive picture in Uganda, the Ebola epidemic continues to spread rapidly in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As of August 25, the total number of confirmed cases in the country reached 5,656, with a total of 2,715 deaths occurring.

Cross-Border Cooperation and Precautions Taken

Kasonde Mwinga, the World Health Organization's representative in Uganda, reported that they are working to support the treatment and testing capacity at the country's border facilities.

Ugandan and Congolese officials met in Kampala to discuss a bilateral memorandum of understanding regarding cross-border health security.