Uganda is expected to discharge its final Ebola patient on Thursday, beginning the 42-day countdown required before the country can be declared free of the virus if no new cases emerge, according to a government spokesperson.
The patient is due to leave the isolation unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, marking a significant milestone in Uganda's response to the outbreak.
Government spokesperson Alan Kasujja announced on social media that the discharge would trigger the waiting period required by the World Health Organization (WHO) before an outbreak can officially be declared over.
"When that happens, Uganda starts counting down," Kasujja said. "If 42 days pass without a single new case, WHO guidelines stipulate that we will be declared Ebola free."
Data from Uganda's Ministry of Health showed the country had recorded 17 recoveries, with one patient still receiving treatment in an isolation unit and two deaths linked to the outbreak.
The ministry said Uganda had identified 20 cases, including five locally acquired infections and 15 imported cases.
All confirmed infections have been linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a variant that has previously caused outbreaks in parts of East and Central Africa.
The outbreak forms part of a wider regional health crisis, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continuing to report infections.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak in the DRC a public health emergency in May. According to government data, the country had recorded 2,011 confirmed cases and 754 confirmed deaths as of Wednesday.
The WHO has described the outbreak as the third worst on record, highlighting the continuing challenges facing health authorities in controlling the disease.
Under WHO guidelines, countries must complete 42 consecutive days without a new Ebola case after the last patient recovers or dies before an outbreak can officially be declared over.
The countdown represents twice the maximum incubation period of the virus, allowing health authorities to detect any previously undetected infections.
Ugandan officials said they would continue monitoring communities and strengthening surveillance systems throughout the waiting period to ensure any potential new cases are identified quickly.
The expected discharge of the final patient marks significant progress in Uganda's efforts to contain the virus and prevent further transmission.
Health authorities have relied on isolation measures, contact tracing and rapid response systems to limit the spread of Ebola since the first cases were detected.
If no additional infections are reported during the 42-day monitoring period, Uganda will officially declare the outbreak over and be free of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
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