KAMPALA — Uganda has officially been declared free of Ebola, marking a major public-health success even as the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo struggles to contain a rapidly expanding epidemic that has already killed thousands.
The World Health Organization said Uganda completed the required 42-day period without a new confirmed infection, allowing authorities to declare the outbreak over. Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases during the outbreak, including two deaths. Fifteen of those infections were linked to transmission from Congo, while five were acquired within Uganda.
The development is an important achievement for Uganda, which moved quickly to identify cases, isolate patients and strengthen surveillance after the outbreak was detected.
But the success across the border has highlighted the dramatically different situation in Congo, where health authorities are confronting one of the most serious Ebola emergencies in the country's history.
Congo's outbreak continues to expand
The outbreak in Congo is being driven by the Bundibugyo virus, a relatively rare Ebola species. According to the latest figures available this week, Congo had recorded 5,713 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths by Aug. 25.
The outbreak has spread across dozens of health zones and several provinces, with northeastern Ituri province remaining the main center of transmission.
The WHO has warned that the epidemic is spreading unusually quickly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described it as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record and said it has already become the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever documented.
The scale of the crisis has raised fears that the epidemic could eventually surpass the devastating 2014-16 West African Ebola outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people.
A difficult fight against a rare virus
The current outbreak presents an additional challenge because Bundibugyo virus is different from the Ebola species responsible for several previous major epidemics.
There is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment approved for Bundibugyo virus. Researchers are working to test potential vaccines and treatments while health officials rely heavily on surveillance, isolation, infection prevention and community cooperation.
That has complicated efforts to stop transmission in communities where medical resources are already limited.
Congo has nevertheless begun using the Ervebo Ebola vaccine among frontline health workers under a special-use approach. The vaccine was developed for the Zaire species of Ebola rather than Bundibugyo virus, so researchers are also using the campaign to gather evidence about whether it can provide protection against the current strain.
Health workers face enormous risks
Medical workers are among those most exposed to the outbreak.
More than 160 health workers have reportedly contracted Ebola during the crisis, with dozens dying. At the same time, some frontline workers have faced delayed wages and difficult working conditions, adding pressure to an already strained response system.
Insecurity in affected parts of Congo has made the situation even harder.
Population displacement, frequent movement across communities and borders, poor infrastructure and mistrust of health authorities can all make it more difficult to identify infections and trace contacts.
The WHO has repeatedly emphasized that community engagement is essential to controlling the outbreak.
Uganda's experience offers a lesson
Uganda's successful containment demonstrates how quickly an Ebola outbreak can be brought under control when surveillance, isolation and public-health measures are implemented effectively.
The country recorded its first infections as part of the wider regional outbreak, including cases linked directly to Congo. Authorities responded by strengthening monitoring and treatment capacity while coordinating with international health organizations.
After the final patient was discharged, Uganda maintained monitoring for the full 42-day period required before declaring the outbreak over.
Uganda is now seeking to maintain strong cross-border surveillance because ending transmission inside its territory does not eliminate the threat from an epidemic continuing nearby.
Congo's health system under pressure
The situation in Congo is considerably more difficult.
Many affected communities are remote, while parts of the region are also experiencing insecurity and displacement. These conditions can prevent patients from reaching treatment centers and make it harder for health teams to safely investigate suspected cases.
Mistrust and misinformation have created additional obstacles.
Health officials and humanitarian organizations say communities must be directly involved in the response rather than simply being told what measures to follow. Building trust is particularly important when families are being asked to accept isolation, contact tracing or changes to traditional burial practices.
A regional threat remains
Uganda's declaration is encouraging, but the continuing epidemic in Congo means the broader regional threat has not disappeared.
The two countries share a long border, and people regularly cross it for trade, family visits and other reasons. That makes continued surveillance essential even after Uganda's outbreak has officially ended.
Ugandan and international health authorities are therefore maintaining preparedness measures while supporting efforts to contain the epidemic in Congo.
The experience also demonstrates how quickly Ebola can cross borders when surveillance systems are overwhelmed.
The race to contain Congo's epidemic
For Congo, the immediate priority is to slow transmission, protect health workers and expand access to treatment and testing.
Vaccination of frontline workers has begun, while researchers are studying whether existing vaccines can help against Bundibugyo virus. More than 50,000 doses of Ervebo have reached Congo, and the WHO has approved additional doses for the response and clinical research.
But vaccines alone will not solve the crisis.
Health authorities must also find cases quickly, isolate infected patients, trace contacts and persuade communities to cooperate with public-health teams.
The WHO has warned that additional funding is urgently needed to maintain logistics, medical supplies and protective equipment.
Two very different outcomes
The contrasting situations in Uganda and Congo illustrate both the progress and danger of the current Ebola crisis.
Uganda has demonstrated that determined public-health action can stop transmission. Congo, however, is facing a much larger outbreak in areas where insecurity, displacement and limited healthcare access are making containment exceptionally difficult.
For Uganda, the end of the outbreak is a moment of relief.
For Congo, the emergency is still growing.
And for health authorities across Central and East Africa, the lesson is clear: until transmission is stopped in Congo, the risk of Ebola spreading across borders remains a serious concern.
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