Kenya records second Ebola case, Ministry of Health confirms

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a second case of Ebola, also known as Bundibugyo Virus Disease, involving a 39-year-old man who is a close family member of the first patient.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, the Ministry’s Director General, Dr Patrick Amoth, said the patient was already in quarantine and under daily monitoring when he developed symptoms on Tuesday.

Kenya has now recorded two confirmed cases and one death.

According to Amoth, the patient developed fever, fatigue and joint pains, prompting the quarantine team to isolate him and collect a specimen for testing.

The sample tested positive at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-CDC laboratory, with both facilities returning matching results.

He has since been transferred to a designated treatment centre, where medical teams are providing supportive care.

The Ministry said the patient’s existing quarantine arrangements enabled health workers to detect the illness early and isolate him as soon as symptoms appeared.

It said early supportive care improves the chances of recovery, while prompt isolation helps limit the risk of transmission.

“The response is working as designed,” the Ministry said, adding that it would provide updates on the patient’s progress.

The Ministry said both confirmed cases are linked and there is currently no evidence of spread in the wider community.

Health authorities have listed 128 contacts linked to the first case.

As of October 13, 113 had been traced, with 108 placed in quarantine in Kenya and undergoing daily clinical assessments and temperature checks.

The contacts are being monitored for 21 days from their last possible exposure to the virus.

The other five contacts are outside Kenya, and health authorities in the respective countries have been notified in line with the International Health Regulations of 2005.

Teams are also assessing people who may have come into contact with the second patient since his symptoms began, including quarantine personnel and health workers.

The Ministry said any contact who develops symptoms will be isolated and tested immediately.

Amoth added that infection prevention and control measures have been reinforced at quarantine and treatment facilities, with health workers provided with protective equipment.

All health workers have been directed to observe strict infection prevention and control measures regardless of the condition they are managing.

The Ministry said Kenya’s response is being guided by the Public Health (Declaration of Formidable Epidemic Disease) Order, 2026, and the Public Health (Ebola Disease) Rules, 2026.

The response is being coordinated through a single national command, while the World Health Organization has been notified in accordance with the International Health Regulations of 2005.

The Ministry said Kenya remains open, with no restrictions imposed on travel, trade or public gatherings.

Earlier on Wednesday, WHO said there was no evidence of an ongoing Ebola outbreak in Kenya following the confirmation of the first imported case.

WHO Kenya’s Head of Health Emergencies, Dr Martins Chibueze, said authorities were monitoring contacts and strengthening surveillance to prevent further transmission.

The Ministry has urged Kenyans to remain calm while staying vigilant and relying on official updates.

It said Ebola is not spread through the air but through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with the disease or has died from it.

Anyone experiencing fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding has been advised to seek medical attention promptly at the nearest health facility.

The Ministry also appealed to the public to respect the privacy of the affected family and avoid relying on unverified information.

Members of the public seeking information about the disease can call the toll-free line 719.