Kenya records first Ebola case and death after traveler returns from Congo

Kenya has confirmed its first Ebola infection and death after a citizen returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo died in Nairobi.

• Health Minister Aden Duale said the patient tested positive for the Bundibugyo Ebola strain at two Kenyan laboratories.
• The patient died Monday evening after being placed in medical isolation at a Nairobi hospital.
• Authorities identified 28 contacts, including family members and health workers, and are tracking 23 passengers and four crew members from the patient's flight.
• WHO figures list more than 8,000 confirmed Ebola cases and some 4,000 deaths in DRC, where the outbreak has spread to 63 areas.
• Kenya declared maximum alert, and the WHO said it is working with the country to intensify Ebola control measures.
• Authorities have screened more than 652,000 travelers as part of the expanded Ebola response.
• The patient, a Kenyan citizen, traveled to Kenya via Uganda and died on October 5, 2026.
• Authorities have quarantined ten contacts of the Kenyan Ebola patient who died in Nairobi, officials said.
• Officials said the patient showed symptoms for about a month before detection, prompting Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya to investigate screening gaps.