By Pascal Ndegwa - Reporter
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Kenya, November 03, 2026 - Five people who had Ebola have been discharged from hospital after tests showed they are free of the virus. The Ministry of Health confirmed the good news today.
The five patients had already passed one negative test. A second test done on 2 November also came back clear. Doctors need two negative results taken at least 48 hours apart before they can safely send a patient home. All five met that rule and are now recovering outside isolation.
Kenya has recorded nine confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease since early October. Two people died. The other seven were receiving treatment in special isolation units. With five now cleared, only two patients remain under care.
This outbreak started with one imported case. A Kenyan who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo became sick and later died. Everyone else who caught the virus had close contact with that first patient or with people who cared for him. Health teams say there is still no sign the disease has spread in the wider community.
Contact tracing has been strong. All 135 people who may have been exposed were found and watched. Many have already finished their 21-day monitoring period and gone home. More are expected to leave quarantine this week.
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For the patients who recovered, the journey has been hard. They spent weeks in isolation, away from family, while doctors gave them fluids, medicine for symptoms, and careful nursing. Early treatment makes a big difference with this virus. The fact that five people have beaten it is a hopeful sign.
The ministry continues to watch the remaining patients and the last group of contacts. Officials say the country will only declare the outbreak over after 42 full days with no new cases after the last patient recovers or is safely buried. That countdown has not yet started.
For now, the discharge of five patients marks real progress. It shows that the system of quick testing, isolation and care is working. Communities are being asked to welcome recovering people without fear or stigma. The fight is not finished, but today brought clear good news.