• WHO declares Uganda Ebola-free after 42 days without new cases.
• Uganda reported a total of 20 cases with two deaths during the outbreak.
• Cases continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with over 5,600 infections reported.
• The outbreak in DRC remains a significant health challenge for the region.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the end of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, declaring the country free of the virus as it surpassed a 42-day monitoring period without new cases. The announcement came during a joint news conference with Uganda's Ministry of Health, following Uganda's own declaration that it was free from the disease a month prior, with reports of a total of 20 cases and two fatalities since May 15, when the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo first noted its own outbreak, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, and Africanews.

Despite Uganda’s declaration, the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is grave, with the WHO reporting over 5,600 cases and approximately 2,715 deaths. The outbreak in the DRC, primarily driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, shows no signs of containment. As cases continue to rise in several provinces including the Ituri region, health officials express concern regarding the active transmission of the virus, highlighting a “high risk” for bordering nations, according to Al Jazeera and Africanews.

Regional support efforts are underway, with Uganda setting up additional Ebola treatment centers in the DRC and collaborating on health security measures. As the Congolese government indicated, more than 4,700 infections have been linked to the outbreak in Ituri province alone. Ugandan officials, including Diana Atwine of the Health Ministry, are urging international partners and health organizations to mobilize additional resources to combat the crisis, drawing attention to the “immediate funding gaps” needed to ensure preparedness and response efforts, as stated by Reuters.