The World Health Organization highlighted that Uganda’s success in containing the outbreak was the result of systematic preparedness, not luck. Dr Kasonde Mwinga, the WHO’s head in Uganda, stated that the low number of casualties in the country was a direct result of investment in preventive measures and the rapid response of health services.
Uganda recorded a total of 20 cases of the Ebola virus, with two fatalities. The Ugandan health minister described the moment the last patient was discharged from hospital, roughly two weeks ago, as a "moment of joy". Officials in Uganda stated that lessons learned from past tragedies had enabled the containment of the disease’s spread across different regions of the country.
Uganda’s success is based on long-standing experience, as the country has recorded nine Ebola outbreaks since 2000. For instance, during the 2011 outbreak, a 12-year-old girl was brought to a hospital in the central district of Luwero. Medical staff then applied strict isolation measures and wore personal protective equipment, which has since become standard in subsequent interventions.
On the other hand, the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is far more serious. The outbreak in the east of the country, reported in May, is the second worst in history. Official figures show that the number of deaths has exceeded 1,500, making this the 17th outbreak of Ebola in the DRC since the virus was identified 50 years ago.
The fact that the DRC has recorded nine outbreaks since 2000 points to chronic challenges in the region. However, experts believe that the actual number of deaths in this outbreak in the DRC is significantly higher than the official figures, suggesting that the outbreak was underestimated in its early stages.
Authorities in the DRC confirmed on Thursday that the virus is spreading significantly faster than in previous outbreaks. This accelerated spread presents a serious challenge to health systems and international organisations fighting to control the virus in the region.
