Uganda officially declared the end of its latest Ebola virus outbreak on Saturday, following 42 days without any new infections since the last confirmed patient was discharged on March 14, 2025.
This outbreak, which began in late January, resulted in at least two confirmed deaths and marked the sixth time the East African nation has faced an Ebola crisis. The virus, which exists in six strains—three of which have caused major epidemics—posed a serious public health challenge once again.
According to a statement from the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak involved a total of 14 cases, including 12 laboratory-confirmed cases and two probable cases that were not laboratory-confirmed. Four people died as a result of the infection—two confirmed deaths and two probable ones—while ten others successfully recovered.
The cases were linked to the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine currently exists. Tragically, the virus claimed the lives of a four-year-old child and a nurse. To prevent further spread, dozens of individuals who came into contact with confirmed cases were closely monitored, as reported by the African Union’s health agency, Africa CDC.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health announced the end of the outbreak on the social media platform X, affirming that no new cases had been recorded since mid-March. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated Uganda’s government and healthcare workers for their “leadership and commitment” in successfully overcoming the outbreak.
In an effort to combat the Sudan strain, a vaccination trial was launched in February during the height of the epidemic. The World Health Organization hailed it as the “fastest roll-out” of an Ebola vaccine trial in an ongoing epidemic. However, the broader context for funding such health initiatives remains difficult, especially after the United States announced a significant reduction in humanitarian aid. In response, the United Nations appealed for $11.2 million in early March to support epidemic response efforts.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals, but it is not contagious until symptoms—such as fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea—appear. The incubation period for the virus typically ranges from two to 21 days.
Over the past 50 years, Ebola has claimed the lives of more than 15,000 people across Africa, spanning all six known strains of the virus.
