Duale: We don’t have Ebola outbreak, only an imported case

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has stated that Kenya is not currently facing an Ebola outbreak, but rather an imported case of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease. This individual contracted the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and subsequently traveled to Kenya via Uganda, where he was admitted to Nairobi Hospital and unfortunately passed away.

Duale emphasized that this is not a widespread outbreak, but rather a single incident similar to cases reported in Germany and France. The patient initially contracted the virus in Buri, northwestern DRC, received treatment there, and then proceeded to various locations before arriving in Kenya. Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the patient was on medication, which may have prevented detection by thermal scanners.

He was promptly taken to Nairobi Hospital upon arrival and exhibited symptoms such as high fever, chills, and difficulty swallowing. Blood samples were collected, and upon testing, confirmed the diagnosis of Ebola. Contact tracing was initiated, involving teams from Kenya, Uganda, the DRC, and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The patient, who had been ill for over a month, passed away on October 5, 2026. Eleven family members of the patient, including his mother and wife, were placed under quarantine, while 23 healthcare workers who had contact with the patient were being monitored. Additionally, authorities are investigating the four crew members of the flight from Kampala to Nairobi, as well as relevant airport personnel.

Kenya has screened approximately 650,000 passengers across its 15 entry points and trained 4,900 healthcare workers to respond to Ebola. Health authorities have previously investigated 276 suspected cases, all of which tested negative. Duale maintains that this confirmed case was imported and that the government remains prepared to prevent further transmission through ongoing surveillance and contact tracing.