WAS - East Africa Tourism Intelligence Brief (28 Jul - 3 Aug 2026)

Weekly

Regional

03 August 2026

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Uganda declared its Ebola outbreak over on 28 July 2026, becoming the lead story for East African tourism this week. The DRC epidemic has now surpassed the 2018-2020 outbreak to become the second largest Ebola outbreak in recorded history, with over 3,600 confirmed cases and 1,500+ deaths. Despite Uganda's declaration, international travel restrictions remain in place for Uganda, DRC, and South Sudan, with the US CDC ban extended through 12 August and the UAE entry ban continuing. Africa CDC has publicly urged the US to lift restrictions on Uganda.

On the aviation front, Uganda Airlines placed a USD 985 million Boeing order for eight new aircraft, and SalamAir launched direct Muscat-Kigali flights on 21 July.

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EBOLA WATCH - Ebola Watch Dashboard

2026 Ebola - Confirmed Cases by Provinces and District

Legend
■	Health zone (DRC) / district (UGA) with confirmed case
□	Province (DRC) with confirmed case
□	Province (DRC) / district (UGA) boundary
—	International boundary
•	Selected city

DRC data as of July 26, 2026 Uganda data as of July 28, 2026 Data sources: DRC INSP, UG MOH, Esri and Impact Observatory, Europa, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, US DoS

Figure 1: Map produced by CDC on 28 Jul 2026 ==End of OCR for page 1==

CASE STATISTICS (as at 3 August 2026)

UGANDA

Confirmed cases: 20
Confirmed deaths: 2
Recoveries: 18
Days since last confirmed case: 43 (last confirmed case: 21 June 2026)
National declaration: Outbreak declared over on 28 July 2026
WHO 42-day countdown status: Day 18 of 42 (countdown began 16 July 2026 - last patient discharged)
WHO confirmation date: 26 August 2026 (16 July + 42 days)

Uganda's Ministry of Health officially declared the Ebola outbreak over on 28 July 2026, after 43 consecutive days with no new confirmed cases. All 20 cases have been resolved, with 18 recoveries and 2 deaths. 15 of the 20 cases were imported from the DRC. The WHO-standard 42-day countdown continues and expires on 26 August 2026, after which WHO will formally confirm the outbreak end. No new cases have been reported since 21 June. CDC (31 July 2026)

DRC

Confirmed cases: 3,674
Confirmed deaths: 1,621

The DRC Ebola outbreak has officially become the world's second largest Ebola outbreak on record, surpassing the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak. As of 30 July, WHO reports 3,674 confirmed cases and 1,621 deaths. The outbreak continues to accelerate with 82 new cases and 34 deaths in the most recent reporting period alone. 78.3% of contacts are under follow-up. The outbreak is spreading across 49 of 140 health zones in five provinces. No vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain, and there is no near-term containment forecast. CDC (31 July 2026)

RWANDA

Confirmed Ebola cases: 0
Confirmed deaths: 0

Rwanda remains Ebola-free with zero confirmed cases throughout the entire outbreak period. All national parks, Kigali International Airport and tourism infrastructure remain fully operational. Rwanda maintains a 30-day entry restriction for travellers with DRC travel history. Rwanda is not on any country-specific travel ban list and remains fully sellable for tourism.

UAE. Formal entry ban remains in force since 13:00, 6 June 2026. Entry restricted for all travellers from Uganda, DRC and South Sudan. Entry permitted only for travellers who have spent more than 21 days outside the listed countries. Rwanda is NOT on the restricted list. Status under active review pending Uganda's 42-day countdown progress.
United States. CDC entry ban extended on 13 July, running until at least 12 August 2026. Applies to non-citizens and non-permanent residents from Uganda, DRC and South Sudan. Africa CDC has formally requested the US lift restrictions on Uganda. Rwanda remains at Level 3 - Reconsider Travel. Volcanoes National Park explicitly excluded from the restricted zone.
Canada. 90-day entry ban for DRC, Uganda and South Sudan residents. 21-day mandatory quarantine for returnees. Measures confirmed to end 29 August 2026. Rwanda unrestricted. ==End of OCR for page 2==
Rwanda. 30-day entry restriction for travellers with DRC travel history in the past 30 days. Zero confirmed Ebola or Marburg cases. All tourism infrastructure fully operational.
Bahrain and Jordan. 30-day entry bans for travellers from Uganda, DRC and South Sudan remain in force.
EU and UK. No formal entry bans on Uganda or Rwanda. Enhanced screening at selected EU airports for Uganda returnees. ECDC continues to assess risk to EU/EEA residents as very low.
WHO position. WHO continues to oppose blanket travel restrictions, describing them as counterproductive and inconsistent with actual epidemiological risk. Uganda's transparent reporting and containment record continue to be cited as grounds for lifting restrictions.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

Uganda Ebola Declaration - On 28 July 2026, Uganda's Ministry of Health officially declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak. The declaration followed 42 days with no new confirmed cases since the last patient was discharged on 16 July. Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases and 2 deaths during the outbreak, with 15 of the 20 cases imported from the DRC. The WHO-standard 42-day countdown expires on 26 August 2026. WHO AFRO
DRC Surpasses Second Largest Outbreak - The DRC Ebola epidemic has officially become the world's second largest Ebola outbreak on record, surpassing the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak. As of 31 July, the DRC reported 3,674 confirmed cases and 1,621 deaths. The outbreak is spreading across 49 of 140 health zones in five provinces, with 78.3% of contacts under follow-up. No vaccine or therapeutics exist for the Bundibugyo strain. Al Jazeera (31 July)
Uganda Lobbies for Travel Restriction Lifts - Uganda continues to actively lobby countries to lift Ebola-related travel restrictions following the outbreak declaration. Africa CDC has publicly called on the United States to end travel restrictions on Uganda, arguing the country has brought its outbreak under control. Despite this, the US CDC entry ban remains in effect through 12 August 2026. The Guardian (16 July)
Uganda Airlines Boeing Deal - Uganda Airlines placed its first-ever Boeing order on 21 July, purchasing eight 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner aircraft in a USD 985 million deal. The aircraft will enable the carrier to expand routes to Johannesburg, London, Dubai, and China, significantly increasing regional and long-haul capacity from Entebbe. Boeing Press Release (21 July)
SalamAir Muscat-Kigali Launch - Omani low-cost carrier SalamAir launched direct flights between Muscat and Kigali on 21 July 2026, operating twice weekly. The route creates a new commercial link between the Gulf and Rwanda, opening a fresh channel for Gulf-based travellers to access Rwandan gorilla trekking and East African safari products without routing through Entebbe. SalamAir Press Release (20 July)

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

Tourism Impact - Safari operators across Uganda report booking declines due to Ebola fears, with some cancellations continuing despite Uganda's declaration. The gap between the national declaration and international travel restriction lifts is extending the commercial impact. Operators emphasise the outbreak was localised but acknowledge international perception remains the primary barrier. The Hill
DRC Economic Pressure - The DRC outbreak is now the second largest in history with over 1,500 deaths. The economic impact on the DRC is severe, with health workers reporting unpaid salaries and significant gaps in surveillance and response capacity. The continuing DRC surge is the primary driver of ongoing regional travel restrictions. ==End of OCR for page 3==

Al Jazeera (24 July)

Aviation Growth - African aviation continues to experience record growth, with international seat capacity up 18.6% year-on-year in 2026. The Uganda Airlines Boeing deal and SalamAir Kigali route are positive signals for East African aviation connectivity, despite the current Ebola overhang. ATTA

STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

Uganda's Ebola declaration is the most significant positive development for East African tourism since the outbreak began in May. However, the gap between Uganda's national declaration and international travel restriction lifts is the critical window for tourism operators. The US CDC ban extension to 12 August indicates that restrictions will not lift immediately, and a further extension is possible given the DRC surge.

Read our latest Special Report on the subject here: Uganda Declares Its Ebola Outbreak Over.

The DRC becoming the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak is a sobering counterpoint to Uganda's good news. The DRC outbreak continues to accelerate with no vaccine available for the Bundibugyo strain, and cross-border importation risk remains the primary driver of regional travel restrictions. As long as the DRC outbreak is uncontrolled, Uganda and neighbouring countries will face ongoing scrutiny from international health authorities.

For WAS, the strategic priority is monitoring the pace at which international travel restrictions lift, particularly from the UAE, US, and UK. Uganda's active lobbying of international governments, supported by Africa CDC, suggests diplomatic momentum is building. However, operators should plan for restrictions to remain in some form throughout August.

FLIGHT AVAILABILITY AND ROUTING

Entebbe International Airport (EBB) - Uganda

Entebbe International Airport remains fully operational. KLM remains suspended on the Amsterdam-Entebbe route due to Ebola-related crew quarantine mandates. Other major carriers continue to operate no

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