Uganda is set to begin the official countdown towards being declared Ebola-free following the scheduled discharge of the country’s last confirmed patient from the isolation unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital today.

The discharge marks a major milestone in the country’s response to the outbreak.

Under World Health Organization guidelines, the countdown begins after the last confirmed patient has recovered, tested negative and been discharged. Uganda must then complete 42 consecutive days without recording a new confirmed case before the outbreak can officially be declared over.

The 42-day period represents twice Ebola’s maximum incubation period of 21 days. If no new infections are detected during the monitoring period, Uganda could be declared Ebola-free around August 27, 2026.

Health authorities are expected to maintain heightened surveillance, contact monitoring and rapid testing throughout the countdown.