Uganda declared Ebola Free by World Health Organisation

By Ben Musanje

11^th Jan 2023

Uganda has been declared Ebola Free by the World Health Organization-WHO after completing a 42 days countdown with no case recorded in the period.

The outbreak was declared on 20th of September 2022 after registering one death and seven contacts from Madudu in Mubende district.

Prior to this outbreak, Uganda had registered seven previous Ebola Outbreaks including in 2018 at Kasese, 2012 in Kibale and Luwero district, in 2011 it occurred in Luwero district, 2007 in Bundibugyo, 2000 in Gulu district which remains the largest ever in Uganda.

A total of 143 Ebola cases were confirmed with 22 were probable 55 death were reported of case facility rate if 39 percent while 87 recoveries were registered in this outbreak. 59 percent were males and 51 percent were females and 18% children 82% adults.

Most affected district was Mubende which was the epicenter with 64 confirmed cases and 29 death followed by Kassanda with 49 cases and 21 deaths, Kampala with 18 case and 20 death, Kyegegwa, Wakiso, Jinja, Kagadi, Masaka and Bunyangabo.

The Minister for Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng says the source of this outbreak is still not know but they are continuing to look for it’s source though the major drivers of the transmission are attributed to household infection and amplification in some health facilities.

Dr. Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the WHO Country Representative in Uganda hailed Uganda for her tremendous strategies of managing the pandemic and epidemic outbreaks.