‘We Don’t Have Ebola’, Uganda Insists Amid Swiss Report on Nigeria’s Abuja Case

KAMPALA, Uganda — The Government of Uganda has firmly reiterated its status as an Ebola-free nation, doubling down on its stance despite a statement from the Swiss government linking a newly confirmed infection in Nigeria to a recent visit to the East African country.

In an official public reminder issued on Friday, Ugandan authorities emphasized that the country remains highly vigilant and possesses no active or confirmed internal transmission of the deadly virus.

“On 26 August 2026, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Uganda Ebola-free and presented the country with a certificate of recognition following the successful end of the outbreak,” the Ugandan government stated in its public address.

Officials added that no further cases have been recorded since that declaration, proving the strength of the nation’s sustained surveillance, public health vigilance, and containment protocols.

The Swiss and Nigerian Angle

The diplomatic and public health pushback from Kampala comes after the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs issued an emailed statement revealing that an Ebola patient being treated in a private clinic in Abuja, Nigeria, is a Ugandan-born woman married to a Swiss diplomat.

According to Swiss authorities, it is believed she contracted the virus during a trip to Uganda approximately two weeks ago.

The case marks Nigeria’s first reported Ebola infection in over a decade, sending health authorities across West Africa into high alert.
The woman’s husband has since been placed in isolation but has not shown symptoms.

Discrepancies in Travel History

Despite the Swiss government’s assertions, international health bodies have been slower to assign an origin point to the infection. Both the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) noted they have yet to receive fully verified information regarding the patient’s complete travel itinerary, which reportedly includes transit or business links to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—the epicentre of the broader regional outbreak.

Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja vehemently denied any domestic resurgence of the disease, telling reporters late Thursday evening that Uganda currently has zero cases of Ebola.

Heightened Regional Border Defences

While firmly denying that the virus was contracted within its borders, the Ugandan Ministry of Health announced it will continue to safeguard its population by reinforcing screening measures and health controls at key points of entry.

The wider East and West African regions remain on edge. Kenya recently reported its ninth imported case of Ebola stemming from a cluster linked back to the DRC, highlighting the ease of cross-border transmission via regional transport hubs.

The Ugandan government concluded its address by reaffirming its long-term commitment to protecting public health, assuring both citizens and the international community that its medical infrastructure is fully optimized to prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to any future biological threats.