Uganda Discharges Its Last Ebola Patient

The discharge marks the start of the 42-day period required by international guidelines; once this period has elapsed, Uganda can officially declare the Ebola outbreak over, provided no new cases emerge.

Meanwhile, the Ugandan Ministry of Health urged the public to be vigilant for possible Ebola symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding.

What the situation is like in the Congo

While Uganda hopes for an end to the outbreak, the virus continues to spread in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since mid-May, more than 2,000 people there have been confirmed to have contracted Ebola. The Ministry of Information of the Central African country reported that the number of confirmed cases currently stands at 2,073, including 796 deaths. Currently, 737 patients are being treated in hospitals and isolation centers.

Ebola is a life-threatening disease. The virus is transmitted through physical contact and contact with bodily fluids. The current outbreak is particularly difficult to contain, in part because there is currently neither a specific vaccine nor a specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. Clinical trials of two antiviral treatments have been underway since early July.