NAIROBI, April 26, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Uganda declared the end of an Ebola virus 
outbreak Saturday, which has killed at least two people in the east African 
nation since late January.

The announcement came 42 days after the discharge of the last confirmed 
patient from hospital.

The outbreak marked the sixth time Uganda was affected by the deadly virus 
that has six different strains, three of which have caused major epidemics.

"During this outbreak, 14 cases, 12 confirmed and two not confirmed through 
laboratory tests (probable), were reported. Four deaths, two confirmed and 
two probable, occurred. Ten people recovered from the infection," The World 
Health Organization said in a statement.

The confirmed cases of the Sudan Ebola strain resulted in the death of a 
four-year-old child and a nurse.

Several dozens of people were also monitored after coming in contact with the 
disease, according to the African Union's health agency (Africa CDC).

"The current Ebola Sudan Virus Disease outbreak has officially come to an 
end," Uganda's health ministry said on X.

"This follows 42 days without a new case since the last confirmed patient was 
discharged on March 14 2025."

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus applauded the 
health ministry for its "leadership and commitment" in overcoming the 
outbreak.

"Congratulations to the government and health workers of #Uganda on ending 
the #Ebola outbreak," he said on X on Saturday.

There is currently no approved vaccine for the Ebola-Sudan strain.

But a vaccination trial for the strain was launched in the country in 
February. It was praised by the World Health Organization as the "fastest 
roll-out" of an Ebola vaccine trial in the midst of an epidemic.

But the international context for funding such health efforts is proving 
challenging.

In early March, the United Nations launched a call to raise $11.2 million to 
address this epidemic after the United States announced the cessation of most 
of its humanitarian aid.

Ebola is transmitted between people through body fluids. People who are 
infected do not become contagious until the appearance of symptoms -- mainly 
fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhoea -- which occur after an incubation 
period of between two and 21 days.

More than 15,000 people in Africa have died of Ebola, all six strains 
combined, in the past half-century.