The declaration follows the discharge of the country’s last Ebola patient and marks the end of the latest outbreak, which involved 20 confirmed cases. Health officials credited rapid surveillance, contact tracing and coordinated response for containing the virus.

Credits: TPN; Author: bill wegener;

Although Uganda has ended its outbreak, health authorities remain on alert because neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo continues to battle a much larger Ebola epidemic. The latest Ugandan outbreak was linked to imported infections and involved the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which currently has no approved vaccine. Officials say cross-border surveillance and preparedness measures will continue.