Kenya Confirms Third Ebola Case

Kenya has confirmed its third case of Ebola, involving a 65-year-old woman who was already under quarantine as a primary contact of the earlier patients.

According to a Ministry of Health press release dated October 16, 2026, from the Office of the Director-General for Health, the patient is a close relative of the first and second cases. She had been in quarantine since October 6. After developing fever, sore throat and malaise, she was isolated, tested, and confirmed positive for Ebola (Bundibugyo virus disease) at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the KEMRI laboratory. She has been transferred to the Infectious Disease Unit and is receiving supportive care.

Health Director-General Dr Patrick Amoth noted that her early diagnosis, made possible by prior quarantine, improves her recovery chances and limits further spread. “Being in quarantine also protected the rest of her family and the general public from exposure, reducing the chances of community transmission,” he said. The second patient remains stable and is responding well to treatment.

Of 130 listed contacts, 127 (97.7 per cent) have been traced and quarantined—exceeding the global 85 per cent benchmark needed to break transmission chains. Efforts continue to locate the remaining three. The Ministry warned that additional cases among quarantined contacts remain possible until monitoring ends but emphasised they would be detected and managed promptly.

Personal protective equipment, infection-prevention supplies and screening tools have been distributed to 28 high-risk counties and points of entry. Travellers from 10 high-risk countries must complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and present a QR code on arrival. All flights from these countries face enhanced screening at Kenyan airports. By October 15, 2026, authorities had screened 685,027 people since the outbreak began in May.

Dr Amoth reassured the public that the overall risk remains low, with no evidence of community transmission. Kenya stays open for business, with no restrictions on travel, trade or gatherings. Ebola spreads only through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected or deceased person, not through the air. Anyone with fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding is urged to report immediately to the nearest health facility. The public can call the Ministry’s toll-free line 719 or check official channels for updates. “Early reporting saves lives,” Dr Amoth stated.

Source: https://nation.africa/kenya/health/kenya-confirms-third-case-of-ebola-5634982