Kenya confirms first Ebola case after patient dies

The patient became ill in the Democratic Republic of Congo before traveling through Uganda to Nairobi.

Kenya confirmed its first Ebola virus case this week after a patient who travelled to Nairobi died from the disease.  

The patient was a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years, Kenya’s Health Minister Aden Duale said in a statement following a news conference. He became sick about a month ago and was treated in multiple hospitals in the DRC, before traveling to Uganda’s capital Kampala by road and then flying to Nairobi. After undergoing a standard health screening following his arrival on Oct. 3, he was transferred from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to a hospital, where he was isolated and assessed.  

His symptoms included fever, chills, fatigue, painful swallowing, sore throat, muscle pain and bleeding under the skin at injection sites, according to a statement issued Tuesday from the Ministry of Health. Laboratory tests confirmed Bundibugyo virus, a strain of Ebola.  

Despite receiving medical care, the patient died on Monday, Oct. 5. A burial took place in accordance with Ebola safe and dignified burying protocols.  

Kenya is the fourth country to record an Ebola case in eastern Congo, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Africa. The DRC is responding to an outbreak while Uganda, where Bundibugyo virus was first detected in 2007, ended the latest outbreak in August of this year. 

The ministry has identified 28 contacts so far, including relatives and healthcare workers, and is pursuing 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight as the patient. Kenyan President William Ruto’s office reported 27 identified contacts. 

Quarantine arrangements are also being made to help protect the public. As of Tuesday, Oct. 6, eight family members of the patient and 21 healthcare workers who attended to him have been placed under quarantine and are being monitored for symptoms, according to a statement from President Ruto's office. 

Kenya strengthens Ebola surveillance and response

Since the outbreak began in May of this year, over 652,000 travelers have been screened for the virus and 267 samples have been tested across five labs. No additional positive cases have been detected from the tested samples. The department has also trained 4,971 health workers in Ebola prevention and management.  

“The public is urged to continue with frequent hand washing or use alcoholic hand rubs and avoid close contact with sick people coming from countries reporting active transmission of Ebola disease,” Duale said. “You are reminded to seek care from a recognized health facility if unwell. Further, you should report any persons known to be unwell to the nearest facility.” 

Following the death, President Ruto ordered the National Security Council Committee (NSCC) to assess the situation and recommend actions to safeguard the country, according to the president’s office. After the meeting, the government increased contact tracing, surveillance and additional measures to prevent further spread of the disease. One of these measures includes designating facilities for Ebola management. 

“Kenya is prepared to deal with this public health emergency,” Ruto’s office said in a statement. “The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely, take all necessary measures to protect the public and keep the country informed of any further developments."

Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that the WHO is supporting the governments of the DRC, Kenya and Uganda, and advises against any travel restrictions on affected countries. 

Bundibugyo virus is a severe and often fatal illness that spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person, according to the WHO. While there are currently no vaccines or treatments for the disease, candidate products are being tested in clinical trials. 

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