Kenya has confirmed a third case of Ebola (Bundibugyo virus disease), with the Ministry of Health saying there is no evidence of community transmission and that the risk to the general public remains low.
Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth said the patient, a 65-year-old woman who is a close relative and primary contact of the first and second cases, had been in quarantine since October 6, enabling health workers to identify the infection early.
The woman developed fever, a sore throat and malaise while in quarantine. Samples collected from her were confirmed positive for Ebola at the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
She has since been transferred to the Infectious Disease Unit at the hospital, where she is receiving supportive care.
In a statement issued on Friday, Dr Amoth said early detection and isolation were helping limit the risk of further spread, adding that the woman’s family and the general public were protected from exposure because she had been quarantined.
The Ministry said the second patient remained in stable condition and was responding well to supportive care.
It said 127 of the 130 identified contacts, representing 97.7 per cent, had been traced and placed under quarantine, exceeding the global benchmark of 85 per cent considered necessary to break the chain of transmission.
Efforts were ongoing to trace the remaining three contacts, while the Ministry cautioned that additional cases among quarantined contacts could still emerge before their monitoring period ends.
To strengthen preparedness, the Ministry has distributed personal protective equipment, infection prevention and control supplies, and public health screening equipment to all 28 high-risk counties and points of entry.
Additional supplies will support infection prevention and control measures at quarantine centres, health facilities and points of entry to ensure health workers are adequately protected.
Travelers arriving from 10 high-risk countries are required to complete a digital surveillance form before boarding aircraft and present a QR code to port health officials upon arrival.
The Ministry said all aircraft arriving from the high-risk countries were undergoing enhanced public health screening at Kenya’s international airports.
By October 15, 2026, the Ministry had screened 685,027 travelers since the outbreak began in May 2026.
The Ministry reassured the public that Kenya remained open for business, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings.
It urged the public to remain vigilant, noting that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected or deceased person, and not through the air.
People experiencing fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding were advised to report immediately to the nearest health facility.
The public can obtain information and guidance through the Ministry of Health toll-free line 719 and its official website and social media platforms.
by Wangari Ndirangu
