Kenya confirmed a second case of Ebola on October 14, 2026, involving a 39-year-old relative of the country's first victim who died on October 5. The second patient tested positive while in quarantine, and health officials reported no evidence of community transmission. Authorities have isolated 108 of 128 tracked contacts while managing screening challenges at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The cases stem from the ongoing Bundibugyo strain outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Second Ebola case confirmed in Kenya
- ▪The second Ebola patient fell ill on October 13, 2026 while in quarantine, presenting fever, fatigue, and joint pains before being immediately isolated
- ▪Kenya confirmed its second Ebola case on October 14, 2026, involving a 39-year-old male relative of the first patient who died in Nairobi on October 5, 2026
- ▪The Kenyan Ministry of Health stated that both Ebola cases are linked, with no evidence of viral spread in the wider community
Contact tracing for Ebola patients
- ▪Kenyan health officials initiated assessments of individuals who had contact with the second Ebola patient, including healthcare workers and quarantine center staff
- ▪By October 13, 2026, Kenyan health authorities identified 128 contacts of Kenya's first Ebola patient, locating 113, quarantining 108 and notifying authorities for five outside Kenya, while tracing 15 remaining contacts
Public health advisories in Kenya
- ▪The Kenyan Ministry of Health advised the public to stay calm and vigilant, confirming Kenya remains open without restrictions on travel, trade, or public gatherings
- ▪The Kenyan Ministry of Health urged anyone experiencing fever, fatigue, muscle or joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding to seek immediate medical care
Ebola screening at Kenyan airports
- ▪Kenya set up a dedicated screening gate at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo and other affected countries
- ▪Health experts noted that early Ebola symptoms are hard to identify and medications like paracetamol can mask fevers during airport temperature checks
United States Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya
- ▪Central Kenya hosts a 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility at an air force base, built for United States citizens, which was empty after previously housing seven people
- ▪Kenyan officials stated that the United States Ebola quarantine facility in central Kenya could admit Kenyan citizens and other nationalities, though Washington has not confirmed the arrangement
Scale and nature of DRC Ebola outbreak
- ▪The Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak is the second-largest on record globally, recording over 9,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths in 2026
- ▪The Ebola epidemic originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May 2026 is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, with no approved vaccines or treatments
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