WHO says Ebola outbreak in Uganda over, as cases continue to rise in Congo

Uganda originally declared itself free of the virus on 28th July after recording 20 cases and two fatalities. The WHO maintained active surveillance through this week to verify that no hidden chains of transmission remained before confirming the end of the outbreak.

However, cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have continued to rise despite some progress, Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, Emergency Preparedness Director for the WHO African region, told a regional meeting. The Congolese government reported that the death toll has passed 2,700, with total cases rising to over 5,600 as of Tuesday. “Transmission is still very active,” Dr. Belizaire added. “We have slowed down the pace of the spread, but we haven’t managed to break the curve yet.”