The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the end of Uganda’s eight-month Ebola outbreak on Tuesday, marking 20 confirmed cases and two deaths from the Bundibugyo strain. The declaration followed a monitoring period to ensure no residual transmission chains persisted.
The development contrasts sharply with the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the same strain has driven the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. Congolese authorities reported more than 5,600 cases and over 2,700 fatalities as of this week, with transmission remaining active despite efforts to slow its spread.
Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, WHO’s emergency preparedness director for Africa, noted that while improvements in contact tracing and testing have been observed, the outbreak’s trajectory has not yet been flattened. "We managed to slow down the pace, but we haven’t been able to flatten this curve," she stated. The WHO also warned that a $30 million funding gap for logistical operations—including medical and protective equipment delivery—could undermine containment efforts in the DRC’s hardest-hit regions, such as Bunia.
Genetic analyses of the Bundibugyo strain in both countries revealed no signs of mutation despite rapid dissemination, suggesting the virus’s behavior has remained consistent. The WHO emphasized the need for immediate investment to sustain progress and prevent a resurgence.
