The Facts
On Wednesday, Uganda declared an end to the Ebola outbreak that began in September 2022. Ugandan authorities had initially struggled to control the outbreak that infected 143 people and killed 55, but later swiftly brought the incident under control.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also declared an end to the outbreak after it determined that there were no new confirmed or probable cases in Uganda after 42 days, which is twice the incubation period for Ebola infections.
The Spin
Narrative A
Since the severe Ebola outbreaks of 2013 and 2016, African health authorities have stressed the importance of being prepared for the next outbreak. Uganda did an excellent job coordinating its containment measures to make sure the results of this outbreak weren’t worse, and it was able to keep the virus from spreading beyond the country’s borders.
Narrative B
Generally, Uganda was fairly well prepared and did its best to contain this outbreak. But health authorities couldn't circulate a vaccine before transmission of the virus was stopped, opening the door for future outbreaks. A well-managed stockpile of unlicensed vaccines would make it possible to start a trial and, eventually, prevent future outbreaks.
