Uganda says it has discharged its last Ebola patient

Uganda's health ministry said the country discharged its last Ebola patient on 16 July, marking containment of an outbreak that had spread from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Under World Health Organization guidelines, Uganda must now go 42 days without a new case before it can be declared officially Ebola-free. The period represents two full incubation cycles of the virus.

DR Congo has recorded more than 2,000 confirmed cases, including 754 deaths, since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The WHO has warned that the real numbers may be two to four times higher. Uganda, despite its porous border with affected areas, has reported 20 cases and two deaths, mostly involving Congolese citizens who crossed the border.

Health minister Chris Baryomunsi said Uganda recorded 20 cases in total, with two deaths and the remaining patients recovered. He said hundreds of contacts were isolated for 21 days and had since been released. He added that Uganda would remain vigilant and strengthen border measures to reduce or prevent cross-border transmission.

African health officials have described the outbreak as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record. Serawit Bruck-Landais, regional global health counsellor for the French embassy, said contact tracing and follow-up care in Uganda were efficient and said the response showed that an Ebola outbreak could be managed.

There is no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain behind the outbreak. The WHO said the first clinical trial of an antiviral drug began on Tuesday.