The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called on the United States to consider removing its Ebola-related entry restrictions on Uganda, emphasizing that the East African country’s progress in containing the outbreak deserves recognition.
In a statement seen by APA on Wednesday, the Africa CDC quoted its director-general, Jean Kaseya as formally calling the U.S. government “to urgently review and remove” Uganda from the temporary Ebola-related entry suspension.
The agency stressed that the country has demonstrated the capacity to detect, report, and respond rapidly, providing a strong basis for a differentiated and country-specific assessment.
Uganda has reported no new confirmed ebola case since 21 June 2026, and has discharged its last patient and entered the 42-day countdown toward declaring the outbreak over.
The agency said that Uganda’s success, which includes heightened surveillance of high-risk areas and points of entry, “provides a strong basis for a differentiated, country-specific assessment.”
The African Union’s specialized continental public health agency noted that Uganda’s epidemiological situation has “improved significantly,” with no new confirmed ebola cases since June 21. The country has discharged its last patient and entered the 42-day countdown toward declaring the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over.
It highlighted that all 836 identified contacts have completed follow-up monitoring, and surveillance remains active across 36 high-risk districts and 38 points of entry, while laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, case management, risk communication, and community surveillance remain fully operational.
“These results reflect decisive national leadership, the courage and commitment of Uganda’s health workers and communities, and strong cooperation between Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Africa CDC, and our partners,” the statement read.
It underscored that risk-based departure and arrival screening, traveler health declarations, exposure-based monitoring, and the rapid referral of symptomatic travelers can provide effective public health protection.
Meanwhile, the WHO and aid organisations have warned of a growing risk of the outbreak spreading into South Sudan, after the confirmation of two cases in Wamba, Haut-Uélé Province, near the South Sudan border significantly heightened the risk of cross-border transmission.
MG/as/APA