Kenya confirms first Ebola death as outbreak spreads

Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a citizen who recently arrived in the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda died in Nairobi.

Kenya’s Health Minister, Aden Duale, said the patient had arrived in the country on Saturday and was admitted to Nairobi Hospital after developing symptoms associated with haemorrhagic fever. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed Ebola infection. The patient died while receiving treatment on Monday.

Health authorities have placed the country on high alert and begun contact-tracing efforts. At least 28 people, including family members and healthcare workers who had contact with the patient, have been identified and placed under monitoring. Another 23 passengers who travelled on the same flight from Uganda are also being traced.

The identified contacts are expected to remain in isolation for 21 days and will be tested during the monitoring period. Authorities also said the deceased would be buried within 24 hours under public-health protocols designed to reduce the risk of further transmission.

Kenya is the latest country affected by the Ebola outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May 2026. Uganda previously reported imported cases linked to the outbreak, while an infected humanitarian worker was treated in Germany.

The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. The World Health Organisation says there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, although vaccine and treatment candidates are being evaluated. Supportive medical care remains an important part of treatment.

The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has expanded rapidly. By early October, government data cited by Reuters showed more than 8,000 confirmed cases and over 4,000 deaths, making it the country's largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak to date.

Ebola spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, including after death. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal or external bleeding.

Kenyan authorities are continuing surveillance and contact tracing as they work to determine whether the virus has spread beyond the initial imported case.