Group Effort Pays Off: Ebola Came and Went, in Just Four Months

In September 2022, Ebola broke out in Uganda. Only four months later, the Ugandan government officially declared an end to the Ebola outbreak in the country.

“Uganda put a swift end to the Ebola outbreak by ramping up key control measures such as surveillance, contact tracing and infection, prevention and control. The magic bullet was been our communities who understood the importance of doing what was needed to end the outbreak, and took action,” says health minister Dr. Jane Rush Aceng Ocero.

Since September, there have been 142 confirmed infections and 56 deaths. However, there have been no new reported cases in 42 days which is twice the maximum incubation period of the virus and a World Health Organization benchmark for a country to declare itself Ebola-free. What’s more, vaccination trials for the strain are already in the works, and the Uganda Red Cross will remain in affected areas for now. “We are going to be better prepared to respond to any other health emergencies that may arise,” concludes Emmanuel Ainebyoona, a health ministry spokesperson.