Kenya declares Ebola a formidable epidemic disease, introduces new health rules

• In a special Kenya Gazette notice dated October 12, 2026, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale declared Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus a formidable epidemic disease under Section 35 of the Public Health Act.

Health CS Aden Duale speaks during a tour of Nairobi Hospital’s 133-bed Ebola Isolation Unit on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. PHOTO | MoH

The government has formally declared Ebola a formidable epidemic disease under the Public Health Act, introducing new regulations governing disease surveillance, screening, isolation, quarantine and the management of suspected infections.

In a special Kenya Gazette notice dated October 12, 2026, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale declared Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus a formidable epidemic disease under Section 35 of the Public Health Act.

The declaration, contained in Legal Notice No. 203, establishes the disease's legal classification under Kenya's public health laws.

In a separate notice, Legal Notice No. 204, the government published the Public Health (Ebola Disease) Rules, 2026, outlining measures for preventing and controlling the spread of the disease.

The regulations provide for public health screening at points of entry, medical assessment of suspected cases, isolation and referral of patients, as well as monitoring and quarantine of individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.

They also outline responsibilities for operators of transport services, including provisions relating to inspections and decontamination.

Under the disease surveillance framework, the regulations address notification requirements for healthcare facilities, medical practitioners and laboratories, alongside investigations and contact tracing.

The rules further provide for the designation of health facilities responsible for managing Ebola cases and establish procedures for inspecting and decontaminating premises where infections may have occurred.

The regulations also cover the handling of bodies of people who die from Ebola, including safe and dignified disposal, burial records, transportation and repatriation.

Other provisions address public communication, awareness campaigns by media houses, enforcement assistance, offences and penalties, as well as the review and duration of the regulations.

The new legal framework comes amid heightened Ebola surveillance in Kenya following the recent confirmation of an imported case linked to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Health authorities have been conducting contact tracing and monitoring individuals who may have been exposed to the virus as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.

The declaration does not, by itself, mean that Kenya has declared a nationwide Ebola outbreak, but it provides a legal framework for implementing disease prevention and control measures.

Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding.

The disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated materials.

The newly published regulations recognise several viruses associated with Ebola disease, including Ebola, Sudan, Bundibugyo and Taï Forest viruses.