By Hassan Wekesa - Editor
New York, 16 October 2026 - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday called for vigilance after Kenya confirmed its second Ebola case on Wednesday.
The announcement came days after the Ministry of Health confirmed the country’s first case on 6 October 2026. That patient had travelled by road from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), passing through several towns and entering Kampala before boarding a flight to Nairobi. He was admitted to Nairobi Hospital and later moved to a quarantine facility at East Wing. He died on 5 October, a day before the case was made public.
The second patient is a 39-year-old man and a relative of the first. He was among the contacts placed in quarantine and developed symptoms on 13 October. Both cases are linked to the deadly outbreak in the DRC.
Speaking to UN News in Nairobi a day after the confirmation, WHO Representative Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo praised the Government for listing and quarantining contacts. She said defeating the disease would take everyone’s effort, not just that of the Government and its partners, and that community spread could be stopped if each person played their part.
Kenya’s first patient had been living in the DRC, where the record outbreak is still spreading in the east. He reached Nairobi via Uganda on 3 October and died in hospital two days later.
Dr Kimambo commended the health authorities for moving quickly to trace those who had been in contact with him. More than 40 people were identified, among them airline passengers and crew, aircraft cleaners, airport workers, baggage handlers, immigration officials, health personnel and family members. Most are in quarantine, while a few low-risk contacts have isolated themselves and are being monitored. Efforts continue to reach six passengers who have proved hard to trace because they have foreign phone numbers.
WHO and the Kenyan Government had been strengthening Ebola preparedness even before the first case, following the declaration of the outbreak in the DRC in May.
Neighbouring Uganda also faced the disease, and its outbreak was officially declared over in late August after its government raised concerns that the international community had been too harsh to it despite its efforts and the move to make the status public.
Teams are working on all fronts, including surveillance and contact tracing. WHO has deployed a senior incident manager who took part in Uganda’s response, along with other experts. Dr Kimambo said the work builds on the preparedness phase, with case management and infection prevention and control (IPC) now critical in the quarantine centres.
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WHO has also supported Kenya in other ways. Since the first case was identified, it has donated supplies worth about $70,000, including IPC and laboratory items. More than 4,000 health workers have been trained, including in screening at ports of entry.
Dr Kimambo said there is currently no need to restrict travel or close national borders, but stressed that travellers should be properly screened so that anyone who may pose a health risk is identified.
She explained that prevention starts with understanding how the virus spreads. According to WHO, the Ebola Virus spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. Dr Kimambo urged the public to wash their hands regularly, use hand sanitiser and avoid handshakes.
Early symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhoea resemble those of malaria and other illnesses, so she urged anyone who falls ill to seek medical care promptly.
In the meantime, Kenyans are advised to stay calm and take precautions.
She cautioned against panic, noting that there is no community transmission, but called on people to act responsibly. Anyone who is unwell should go to a health facility, and IPC measures should be observed.
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