Uganda has recorded no new confirmed cases or deaths from the ongoing Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) outbreak, offering renewed optimism as the country continues its countdown towards declaring the outbreak over.
According to the latest outbreak update from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Uganda remains with 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, while all identified contacts have successfully completed the mandatory follow up period.
Health authorities said the country’s 42 day countdown to officially declare the outbreak over remains on course after the last confirmed patient recovered and was discharged.
While Uganda’s situation has remained stable, neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to battle a worsening outbreak that has now claimed nearly 1,000 lives.
Africa CDC reported that the two affected countries had registered a cumulative 2,443 confirmed cases, 969 deaths and 487 recoveries as of July 19, translating into an overall case fatality ratio of 39.7 per cent.
The DRC continues to bear the greatest burden of the outbreak. During the latest 24 hour reporting period, the country recorded 79 new confirmed cases, 37 deaths and three recoveries.
Health officials said transmission remains concentrated in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.
“Ituri accounts for 89.1 per cent of all confirmed cases reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while treatment centres, particularly in North Kivu, are operating beyond capacity, with occupancy reaching 128.4 per cent,” the Africa CDC said.
The report, however, noted encouraging progress in South Kivu, which has now gone 53 consecutive days without recording a new confirmed case.
Contact tracing remains central to containing the outbreak, although officials acknowledged that performance is still below the recommended standard.
“Of the 10,519 registered contacts in the DRC, 8,531 were successfully followed up, representing a national follow up rate of 81.1 per cent against the recommended target of 95 per cent,” the report said.
Surveillance teams also investigated 911 of the 1,103 alerts reported across the DRC within the past 24 hours, with 252 alerts validated as suspected cases requiring further investigation.
To reduce the risk of cross border transmission, screening has been intensified at points of entry.
According to Africa CDC, 94.7 per cent of the 162,309 travellers who passed through designated points of entry and control in Ituri and North Kivu were screened.
The continental public health agency said it has reinforced response efforts by deploying nine GeneXpert diagnostic machines and laboratory reagents, rolling out a DHIS2 digital surveillance system, training more than 4,000 community health workers and strengthening cross border coordination involving 11 African Union member states.
Despite the progress, officials warned that the response continues to face major obstacles.
“Response efforts continue to be challenged by overstretched treatment facilities, insecurity, community resistance to safe and dignified burials, shortages of infection prevention and control supplies, limited laboratory capacity and disruptions caused by delayed payment of frontline response personnel,” the report said.
Health authorities said priority actions include expanding isolation and treatment capacity, strengthening contact tracing, ensuring safe access for response teams and maintaining preparedness in neighbouring countries.
Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) have maintained that there is currently no justification for imposing restrictions on international travel or trade, saying existing risk assessments do not warrant such measures.
