Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, after a Kenyan who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo died in Nairobi on Monday night.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the case on Tuesday, 6 October 2026. The Ministry of Health said the patient had lived and worked in the DRC for seven years, fell ill about a month ago, and was treated at several hospitals there before travelling home by road through Uganda.
Travel Timeline
- Kampala by Road: Reached Kampala by road after leaving the DRC.
- Flight to Nairobi: Boarded Jambojet flight 8523, which carried 23 passengers and four crew.
- Arrival at JKIA: Arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday, 3 October, at about 1:10 pm.
- Hospital Transfer: Cleared routine public health screening and immigration before being taken directly to Nairobi Hospital by a relative and a friend.
Diagnosis and Clinical Symptoms
At the hospital, he was isolated in a separate room in the Accident and Emergency area and later moved to the East Wing isolation facility. Doctors initially treated the illness as a viral fever. Samples tested at the National Virology Reference Laboratory and at the Kenya Medical Research Institute both confirmed the Ebola Bundibugyo virus.
Reported Symptoms
- Fever and chills
- Severe fatigue and weakness
- Muscle pain and painful swallowing
- Bleeding under the skin
He was put on supportive treatment and died at 11:30 pm on Monday, 5 October. The Ministry said a safe and dignified burial, under Ebola protocols, was planned for later on Tuesday. The World Health Organization has been notified.
Contact Tracing and Ministry Response
Contact tracing is currently underway. The ministry has listed 28 contacts so far, including:
- Family members and attending healthcare workers
- 23 passengers and four crew members from Jambojet flight 8523
“All systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease.” — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale
Duale noted that 4,971 health workers had already been trained at the national and county levels on Ebola prevention and case management.
Regional Context and Transmission
The case is imported and linked to the DRC’s Bundibugyo outbreak, declared in mid-May and described by Reuters as the country’s largest recorded Ebola outbreak, with more than 8,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths. The same outbreak earlier reached Uganda, which reported 20 cases and two deaths before the WHO declared the country free of the disease in August.
Ebola passes through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person, living or dead. It does not spread through casual contact. Common symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in severe illness, bleeding. The Ministry has not named the patient.