The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has commended the Republic of Uganda for officially declaring the end of its eighth outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SVD).
As of 14 March 2025, following the discharge of the final patient and with no new cases reported for 42 consecutive days since 2 March 2025, Uganda met the criteria to declare the outbreak over. In total, the country recorded 14 cases—12 confirmed and two probable—with four fatalities, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 28.6%.
“Having recorded no cases amidst sustained surveillance efforts, I now officially declare the current Sudan Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Uganda to be over,” said Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, Minister of Health of Uganda.
All ten patients who were hospitalized successfully recovered and have since enrolled in a survivors’ care program, which offers psychosocial support and other recovery services. These survivors have been fully reintegrated into their communities and are no longer a risk for further transmission. Of the 534 identified contacts, 85.2% were quarantined and closely monitored throughout the response period.
H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, extended his congratulations to the Government and People of Uganda, specifically President Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Aceng, for their leadership during the outbreak.
“This success reflects not only scientific and operational excellence, but also the strength of African unity and leadership,” said Dr. Kaseya. “Uganda has demonstrated that collective action and resilience can overcome even the most formidable public health challenges.”
He praised Uganda’s outbreak response as a model for the continent, noting the country’s effective coordination, rapid action, and robust health systems. He emphasized that all admitted patients recovered—an indicator of both technical capacity and strong partnerships.
After the outbreak was confirmed on 30 January 2025, Uganda swiftly rolled out a multi-layered response. This included active surveillance, contact tracing, case isolation and treatment, mortality surveillance, and extensive public awareness campaigns. These interventions were critical, especially in the absence of an approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Sudan strain of Ebola.
Africa CDC provided essential support throughout the crisis. In response to Uganda’s request, Africa CDC deployed a multidisciplinary team comprising members of the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC). The team collaborated with Uganda’s Ministry of Health and other partners to support coordination, surveillance, risk communication, and community engagement.
“Local leaders and communities were central to this success,” Dr. Kaseya noted. “By building trust, delivering education, and working closely with grassroots networks, Uganda replaced fear and misinformation with action and cooperation.”
In total, Africa CDC deployed 15 public health emergency specialists across various technical domains, trained 897 community health workers in surveillance and risk communication, and equipped 80 surveillance officers for case detection. Additionally, 40 infection prevention and control (IPC) mentors supported frontline health workers in high-risk districts.
The response also benefited from enhanced laboratory and genomic sequencing capacities, thanks to Africa CDC’s provision of field diagnostic kits. This capacity played a vital role in interrupting transmission and preventing further spread.
Looking forward, Africa CDC is committed to strengthening health security and epidemic preparedness across the continent. The organization continues to support Uganda through key research initiatives, including sero-surveys to determine community exposure, the installation of genomic sequencing equipment, and the delivery of $4.3 million worth of emergency supplies and cold chain infrastructure.
