Health ministry confirms third Ebola case in Kenya

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a third case of Ebola (Bundibugyo virus disease) in Kenya.

According to Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth, the patient is a 65-year-old woman who is a close relative and primary contact of the first two patients and had been in quarantine since October 6.

The patient is currently receiving care at the Infectious Disease Unit after her samples tested positive at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) laboratory.

“She has been in quarantine since 6th October 2026 and once she developed fever, sore throat and malaise, she was isolated and a specimen collected for testing. She tested positive for Ebola,” Amoth revealed.

Amoth further disclosed that the second patient remains in stable condition and is responding well to supportive care.

The ministry has traced and placed 127 of the 130 listed contacts in quarantine, representing 97.7 per cent of those identified.

Efforts are ongoing to trace the remaining three contacts.

Amoth noted that there was no evidence of community transmission and that the risk to the general public remained low.

However, he cautioned that additional cases could emerge among quarantined contacts before their monitoring period ends.

“Being quarantined means the rest of her family and the general public are protected from exposure to the virus,” said Amoth.

To strengthen surveillance, the ministry has distributed personal protective equipment, infection prevention and control supplies, and public health screening equipment to 28 high-risk counties and points of entry.

Travellers arriving from 10 high-risk countries are also subject to enhanced screening at Kenyan international airports. They are required to complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and present the resulting QR code to port health officers upon arrival.

Some of the symptoms of the disease to watch out for include fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention promptly.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected or deceased person, not through the air.

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