Kenya Confirms First Imported Ebola Case; Patient Dies in Nairobi

Nairobi, 6 October 2026 By Makena Laban

 The Ministry of Health has confirmed Kenya's first imported case of Ebola, caused by the Bundibugyo strain currently spreading in the region.

The patient, a Kenyan man who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years, had been unwell for about a month and was treated at several hospitals in DRC. He travelled by road to Kampala and then flew to Nairobi on Jambo Jet flight 8523, landing at JKIA on Saturday, 3 October, at 1:10 pm. After passing through routine port health screening, he was driven by a relative and a friend straight to Nairobi Hospital.

At the hospital, he showed fever, chills, extreme weakness, muscle pain, a sore and painful throat, and bleeding under the skin at injection sites. Given these symptoms and his travel history, doctors isolated him immediately and sent samples for testing. Both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and KEMRI confirmed Ebola. Despite supportive treatment, he died on the night of 5 October, and a safe and dignified burial is being arranged under Ebola protocols.

Contact tracing is underway. Health officials have listed 28 people who had contact with the patient, including family members and health workers. They are also tracing 23 passengers and 4 crew members from the same flight, and quarantine for those at risk is being arranged.

Kenya's preparedness so far: Since the regional outbreak began in May 2026, Kenya has screened over 652,000 travellers and tested 267 samples across five labs, including mobile labs at the Busia and Lwakhakha borders. This is the only positive result. Nearly 5,000 health workers have been trained on Ebola prevention and management, and the World Health Organization has been notified.

What you should do: Health CS Aden Duale has urged the public to stay calm, as response systems are in place. Residents should:

• Wash hands often or use an alcohol-based sanitiser
• Avoid close contact with sick people arriving from countries with active Ebola transmission
• Visit a recognised health facility if unwell, and report anyone known to be sick
• Rely only on official Ministry of Health channels for updates, or call the toll-free line 719

Health workers are asked to stay extra vigilant and follow strict infection prevention measures for every patient.

The Ministry will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.