Uganda has discharged its final Ebola patient, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to contain the virus. The recovery triggers the start of a 42-day monitoring period required by the World Health Organization (WHO) before Uganda can officially be declared Ebola-free, provided no new cases are detected.

The East African nation has confirmed 20 cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola since mid-May. Health officials said that 15 of those infections involved people who traveled from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak remains concentrated.

Uganda has not reported a new Ebola case since June 22, reflecting the effectiveness of its surveillance, isolation and contact-tracing measures. Authorities say the final patient, a Congolese national, has fully recovered and has been discharged from Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala.

Government officials confirmed that the country has now entered the WHO's mandatory 42-day countdown. If no additional infections are recorded during this period, Uganda will officially be declared free of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the situation remains critical in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health authorities reported 62 new confirmed Ebola cases in the latest update, bringing the official total to more than 2,000 infections. The WHO has warned that the actual number of cases may be significantly higher due to underreporting and limited access to affected communities.

Public health experts continue to monitor the outbreak closely, stressing the importance of cross-border surveillance, rapid diagnosis and international cooperation to prevent further spread of the virus across the region.

Uganda's progress demonstrates the impact of swift public health interventions, while the ongoing outbreak in the DRC highlights the continuing challenges of containing Ebola in areas facing humanitarian and logistical difficulties.