Breaking News: Kenya Confirms First Ebola Case

By Staff Writer

Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of Ebola, involving a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for seven years before travelling to Nairobi, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced.

The patient fell ill about a month ago while in the DRC and was treated at several hospitals before travelling by road to Kampala, Uganda, and later flying to Nairobi. He arrived in the country on Saturday and underwent routine public health screening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

According to the Ministry of Health statement, the patient was transported from JKIA by a relative and a friend to Nairobi Hospital, where he was immediately isolated in a separate room in the accident and emergency area.

He was later transferred to the hospital’s East Wing Isolation Facility, which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic and has critical-care infrastructure, including intensive care and high-dependency units, as well as more than 145 beds.

“The Ministry of Health wishes to inform members of the public that it has confirmed the first imported case of Ebola (Bundibugyo) Virus Disease,” Duale said in an address to journalists.

The patient presented with fever, chills, intense fatigue and weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing, sore throat and bleeding under the skin at injection sites.

Based on his symptoms and travel history, doctors considered the illness a viral hemorrhagic fever and collected samples for laboratory testing. The samples tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute laboratory.

The patient was placed on supportive treatment but later died. The Ministry said arrangements were under way for a safe and dignified burial in accordance with Ebola burial protocols. CS Press Release on 1st Ebola C…

Duale said health authorities had identified 28 contacts of the deceased, including family members and healthcare workers who attended to him.

Authorities were also pursuing 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same flight as the deceased. The Ministry said arrangements were under way to quarantine people considered to have been exposed.

“So far we have listed 28 contacts of the deceased including family members and health workers who attended to the deceased,” Duale said.

The confirmation comes after months of heightened surveillance following Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda. Kenya had intensified screening at airports and land border points as part of measures to prevent the importation and spread of the virus.

The Ministry activated the National Ebola Incident Management System on May 20 through the Kenya National Public Health Institute to coordinate surveillance, preparedness and response activities.

Duale said the country had screened 652,584 travellers since the Ebola alert began in May 2026. A total of 267 samples had been tested across five laboratories, including the National Virology Reference Laboratory, KEMRI Nairobi, KEMRI Kisumu and two mobile laboratories deployed to the Busia and Lwakhakha border points in Bungoma County.

Only one test had returned positive, according to the ministry.

“We have trained 4,971 health workers at both national and sub national level on Ebola prevention and management,” Duale said.

The preparedness measures have included enhanced screening of travelers, surveillance in counties and communities, expanded laboratory capacity, preparation of isolation and treatment facilities, and training of frontline health workers.

The Ministry has also notified the World Health Organization of the confirmed case in line with the International Health Regulations.

Duale urged Kenyans not to panic, saying the government had activated systems intended to detect and contain further transmission.

“I wish to reassure the public not to panic, as all systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease,” he said.

The Ministry advised members of the public to wash their hands frequently or use alcohol-based hand rubs and avoid close contact with sick people coming from areas reporting active Ebola transmission.

People who develop symptoms have been urged to seek care at recognized health facilities, while members of the public have also been asked to report anyone known to be unwell to the nearest health facility.

Health workers have been advised to maintain strict infection prevention and control measures while treating patients, regardless of the condition under investigation.