First Ebola case confirmed in Kenya as patient dies
The patient was a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for the past seven years, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said in a statement.
He fell ill about a month ago and was treated at several hospitals while still in the DRC. He traveled by road from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, then boarded Jambojet flight 8523 and arrived in Nairobi on Oct. 3.
A relative drove him directly from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Nairobi Hospital, where he was quickly placed in an isolation facility, the statement said.
He presented with fever, chills, intense fatigue and weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing, sore throat and bleeding under the skin at injection sites.
"Based on the above presentation and history of travel to DRC the doctor considered this a case of viral hemorrhagic fever and collected a sample for testing which turned positive for Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the KEMRI Lab," Duale said, referring to the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
The patient was treated but died on Monday night, Duale said, extending condolences to the family.
"Arrangements for safe and dignified burial of the deceased are ongoing, and the burial is planned for later today in line with the public health standards," he said.
Authorities have listed 28 contacts of the deceased, including family members and health workers who attended to him, and are pursuing a further 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight, Duale said. Quarantine arrangements for those at risk are underway.
He said Kenya has maintained a high level of alert for Ebola since the outbreak began in May 2026. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, began in the DRC's Ituri Province.
Duale urged the public not to panic, saying all systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease. He advised frequent handwashing or the use of alcohol-based hand rubs, and avoiding close contact with sick people arriving from countries with active Ebola transmission.
The ministry has opened a toll-free line for public inquiries, saying that it will keep the country updated as more information becomes available.
Earlier, it was reported that the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had risen to 8,376, including 4,042 deaths.
