Kenya Sets Sh50,000 Fine, Six-Month Jail Term in New Ebola Control Rules

Kenya has published new Ebola prevention and control rules that compel travellers entering or leaving the country to undergo health screening and complete a declaration form covering contact details, travel history, symptoms and possible exposure.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale signed two legal notices on October 12, 2026. Legal Notice No. 203 declared Ebola (Bundibugyo Virus) Disease a formidable epidemic disease under Section 35 of the Public Health Act, while Legal Notice No. 204 issued The Public Health (Ebola Disease) Rules, 2026.

Under the rules, a port health officer who finds a reasonable suspicion of Ebola infection during screening must arrange for the person’s separation, assessment and testing.

People identified as contacts at entry points face assessment and placement in designated quarantine facilities for 21 days from their last relevant exposure. They may be released earlier if two diagnostic tests return negative results under approved protocols.

Contacts under monitoring must be checked daily for 21 days, and anyone who develops symptoms must be isolated. Officials may order isolation of suspected or confirmed patients and quarantine of contacts after assessing exposure. Such orders must state their grounds, requirements, location and duration, and are subject to review or termination when the reasons no longer apply.

The rules impose a fine of up to Sh50,000 or six months in jail on anyone who conceals a suspected Ebola case, gives false information on health forms, or helps someone escape quarantine. Under Section 164 of the Public Health Act, a continuing offence attracts an additional fine of up to Sh1,000 for each day.

Reporting duties extend beyond individuals. Managers of schools, workplaces and residential institutions must report cases among people under their care, while health professionals and facility managers must immediately report suspected or confirmed cases and deaths to authorities.

Medical officers of health are empowered to investigate reports, trace contacts, arrange assessments, collect specimens and examine premises and records. Trained community health personnel may assist but cannot order compulsory examinations, isolation or quarantine.

International transport operators must report suspected cases or related deaths on board, retain passenger and crew records for contact tracing, and cooperate with health officials.

Testing is confined to the national reference laboratory or a facility designated by the Cabinet Secretary. Other laboratories must refer specimens immediately to an authorised laboratory, and results must be sent to the Director General of the Kenya National Public Health Institute, who notifies the Director General for Health and the relevant facility.

The rules bar restrictions imposed solely because a person arrived from an Ebola-affected country; exposure must be assessed first.

On burials, bodies of Ebola victims must be placed in sealed, leak-resistant bags bearing an identification reference and must not be washed, embalmed, undressed or redressed. Only trained personnel in protective equipment may handle them. Burial must take place without undue delay at a suitable lawful site, with the medical officer consulting the next of kin and allowing family participation and religious or cultural observances compatible with infection control.

Sending into Kenya the body of someone who died of Ebola abroad is prohibited. Burial records must capture identity details, transfers and the date and place of burial, and graves must be identifiable with locations shared with families.

Medical officers may seek police assistance to enforce isolation and quarantine orders, and anyone breaching an order may be returned under lawful authority with medical supervision.

The post Kenya Sets Sh50,000 Fine, Six-Month Jail Term in New Ebola Control Rules appeared first on Nairobi Wire.