Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola, involving a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) for the past seven years. Health Minister Aden Duale stated that the patient, who fell ill a month ago and was treated in several hospitals in DR Congo, died shortly after arriving in Nairobi. The patient boarded a flight on Saturday and underwent normal public screening at Nairobi's main airport before being taken to a hospital by a relative.
This year, more than 4,000 people have died from Ebola in DR Congo, marking the second most deadly known outbreak of the disease. Following DR Congo's declaration of an outbreak in May, Uganda reported two deaths but was declared free of the disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August. Since then, all known cases have been in DR Congo.
This incident marks the first confirmed case of Ebola in Kenya. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit. The current outbreak in DR Congo is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which is relatively rare and lacks approved vaccines or treatments. However, four vaccines are in development, with human trials for one initiated in July.
Duale confirmed that the Kenyan national tested positive for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. The patient traveled by road from DR Congo to Kampala, Uganda, before boarding a flight to Nairobi. After being admitted to Nairobi Hospital, the patient was moved to an isolation facility built during the COVID-19 pandemic. There, the patient exhibited symptoms including fever, chills, fatigue, painful swallowing, muscle pain, and bleeding under the skin. Doctors suspected a viral hemorrhagic fever based on the symptoms and travel history, leading to testing that confirmed the presence of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus.
The patient died at 23:30 (20:30 GMT) on Monday, with burial planned for later on Tuesday in accordance with public health safety protocols. Health authorities have identified at least 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, and are tracing an additional 23 passengers and four crew members from the same flight.
The WHO has recorded 4,082 deaths out of 8,463 cases in the current outbreak, making it the largest ever recorded in DR Congo, where Ebola was first discovered. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has indicated that the actual toll may be higher due to gaps in surveillance and testing in the region. MSF reported that the virus is spreading rapidly, with new hotspots emerging in North Kivu province, which borders Ituri, where the outbreak began. The situation has intensified dramatically since early September, with North Kivu now accounting for nearly 40% of all newly confirmed cases nationwide.