By Pascal Ndegwa - Reporter
Kenya, October 14 ,2026 - The Ministry of Health has confirmed a second case of Ebola, also known as Bundibugyo Virus Disease, in Kenya, even as officials maintain that there is no evidence of wider community transmission.
The newly confirmed patient is a 39-year-old man and a close family member of Kenya’s first Ebola case. He had already been identified as a high-risk contact and was in active quarantine under daily health monitoring when he developed symptoms, including fever, fatigue and joint pain, on October 13.
Health officials said the patient was immediately isolated after developing symptoms. Tests conducted at the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the KEMRI-CDC laboratory both returned positive results. He has since been transferred to a designated treatment facility, where trained healthcare personnel are providing supportive care.
The Ministry said his early detection while in quarantine significantly improves his chances of recovery while limiting the risk of further exposure to the public. Officials explained that because he was already under quarantine, his illness was detected early, allowing supportive care to begin immediately and reducing the possibility of transmission to others.
Kenya has now recorded two confirmed Ebola cases and one death. The first case involved a Kenyan citizen who travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi earlier this month.
Contact tracing around the initial case has identified 128 contacts. As of October 13, 113 contacts had been traced, while 108 are in 21-day quarantine in Kenya and are undergoing daily clinical checks and temperature monitoring. Five contacts are outside the country, and international health authorities have been notified under the International Health Regulations. Tracing teams are still searching for 15 contacts.
Health authorities are also identifying and assessing anyone who may have come into contact with the second patient after he developed symptoms, including healthcare workers and quarantine monitoring staff. So far, there is no evidence of community spread.
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The national response is being coordinated through a unified national command centre under the Public Health (Declaration of Formidable Epidemic Disease) Order, 2026, and the Public Health (Ebola Disease) Rules, 2026. The World Health Organization has been formally notified.
The Ministry stressed that Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings. It urged Kenyans to remain calm, vigilant and informed, noting that Ebola does not spread through the air but through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from the disease.
Members of the public have been advised to watch out for symptoms such as fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding. Anyone experiencing these symptoms has been urged to seek medical care promptly at the nearest health facility.
Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth appealed to the public to respect the privacy of affected families, rely only on official Ministry of Health updates and contact the toll-free helpline, 719, for verified information.