Uganda: Uganda Finally Gets Ebola Clearance From WHO

What the report says

Uganda has received formal confirmation from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention that it is free of the Bundibugyo virus outbreak, according to The Independent in Kampala. The announcement came on Aug. 27, after the country completed the internationally recognized 42-day period without a newly confirmed case. A certificate was presented in Kampala to Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi.

The report says the certification followed Uganda’s May 15 outbreak declaration, which was tied to cases imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases in total, including imported and locally acquired infections, with 18 recoveries and two deaths. More than 800 contacts were monitored during the response. Officials had already said on July 28 that transmission had been interrupted, but WHO and Africa CDC did not issue formal recognition until the full monitoring period had ended.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Africa regional director Mohamed Janabi and Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya all praised Uganda’s response, describing it as evidence that Ebola can be contained with fast detection, tracing, isolation, surveillance and community cooperation. The article also notes that the wider Ebola outbreak in the DRC remains a concern, since cross-border movement and trade continue to pose a risk of re-importation into Uganda.