Uganda’s Ministry of Health has released its weekly epidemiological bulletin for Week 30, covering July 21st to July 27th, 2025, providing a crucial snapshot of disease trends, public health surveillance efforts, and interventions across the nation.
The bulletin serves to inform all stakeholders from community to national levels on suspected disease trends, public health surveillance, and interventions for detecting, preventing, and responding to public health events.
Surveillance Reporting: Progress and Persistent Gaps The reporting period saw varied performance in data collection. Thirteen out of fifteen regions successfully achieved the 80% target for completeness in their weekly epidemiological reports for notifiable conditions. These regions included Acholi, Ankole, Bugisu, Bukedi, Bunyoro, Busoga, Karamoja, Lango, North Buganda, South Buganda, Teso, Tooro, and West Nile.
However, a notable challenge remains in the timeliness of these reports, with most regions falling below the 80% target. Karamoja was the sole region to meet the timeliness target. The Ministry of Health recommends that district biostatisticians collaborate with health workers to identify and address bottlenecks hindering timely reporting.
Disease Monitoring: Key Insights from Week 30
• Indicator-Based Surveillance: For diseases like Typhoid fever and Dysentery, the observed thresholds for suspected cases remained below the alert threshold, indicating no immediate need for further investigation.
• Event-Based Surveillance (EBS): During Week 30, signals were received from Open Source Media (EIOS) and SMS 6767. These signals included suspected conditions such as Cholera, Plague, Chikungunya, Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Food poisoning, and Mpox. Despite 114 signals received and 12 triaged, no incidents were detected or verified during this reporting week.
Specific Disease Surveillance Updates (Cumulative for 2025)
• Yellow Fever Virus (YFV): No yellow fever-suspected samples were submitted to UVRI during Week 30.
Cumulatively, from Week 1 to Week 30 of 2025, 671 samples have been submitted for testing, with 34 testing positive for yellow fever.
• Anthrax: In Week 30, one suspected human Anthrax sample was collected and tested positive.
Cumulatively, as of Week 30, 88 human suspected Anthrax samples have been collected and tested in 2025, with 35 testing positive.
Points of Entry (POE) Surveillance: Protecting Borders Uganda’s Points of Entry (POEs) remain crucial for public health monitoring. During Week 30, 293,248 travelers passed through the 28 POEs, with an impressive 96% screened at entry and exit. The highest traffic was recorded at Portbell, Bunagana, Goli, and Elegu.
• Tuberculosis (TB) Screening: Screening at POEs identified 16 presumptive TB patients. All 16 were tested for TB, but none were confirmed with TB, and none were linked to care.
Active Public Health Emergencies (PHEs) in Uganda
The bulletin highlighted several active Public Health Events being monitored:
• Rift Valley Fever: An outbreak started on July 25, 2025, in Kabale district. As of Week 30, there was 1 cumulative case, which was confirmed, resulting in 1 human death, with 1 new case and 1 new death recorded in the last 7 days.
• Anthrax: An active Anthrax PHE started on July 29, 2025, in Kyegegwa district. There were 3 cumulative cases, 1 confirmed, leading to 1 human death, with 1 new case and 1 new death in the last 7 days.
• Mpox: This continues to be a significant public health event, active across 120 districts since July 24, 2024. Cumulatively, there have been 7,648 confirmed cases of Mpox and 48 deaths. In the last 7 days of Week 30, 66 new cases were reported, with no new deaths.
Additionally, several high-priority signals are under monitoring, including Goat plague in Kasese, suspected Rabies in Namisindwa, suspected Cholera in Amuru, Adjumani, and Moyo, suspected animal Anthrax originating from DRC, and a “strange illness” known as Dinga Dinga in Bundibugyo.
Confirmed Cholera cases are also being monitored from neighboring DRC and South Sudan.
The consistent monitoring and reporting efforts outlined in this bulletin underscore Uganda’s commitment to public health surveillance and early response to disease threats, ensuring the safety and well-being of its population.
