As reported by the BBC, the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo was declared in May 2026 and is now the second worst on record with officials estimating that the death toll has already passed the official count of 1,500. Authorities in DR Congo recently confirmed that the virus is spreading at an alarmingly rapid rate and that it is moving faster than previous outbreaks.

However, in Uganda, a nearby country that also reported Ebola infections in May of this year, an entirely different scene was emerging. Uganda’s health minister was pleased to report the release of its last Ebola patient from the hospital two weeks ago. Uganda had reported two deaths and twenty Ebola patients.

The WHO’s Uganda chief, Dr. Kasonde Mwinga, gave credit for the low Ebola numbers to preparedness and emphasized that the recent success overcame the seventeenth outbreak in the DR Congo since its discovery fifty years ago.

Twelve-Year-Old Ebola Patient

A past tragedy took place in 2011 in the district of Luwero involving a young girl with severe Ebola symptoms that immediately called for caution. Every attempt was made to isolate the girl and halt the spread of the disease. She died three hours after her arrival at the hospital.

A second example in Uganda occurred when a man from DR Congo crossed the border to receive treatment. This prompted health officials to set up an emergency facility to stem the flow of new cases. It appeared to have the desired effect.

Dr. Mwinga reiterated that being proactive has proven to slow and will eventually stop the spread of Ebola.

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Rose Duesterwald                 August 4, 2026