Kenya travel unaffected: no entry, trade or gathering limits amid third Ebola case

Kenya confirmed its second and third cases of Bundibugyo Ebola on 14 and 16 October 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, as it supports the Ministry of Health's response. Both patients, a 39-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman, are close family members of the first case and were already in quarantine when they became ill.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings.

Key facts

• Three confirmed cases in total, including one death
• First case: a Kenyan man who travelled home from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and died on the night of 5 October — the first Ebola case ever recorded in Kenya
• 130 contacts identified; 127 were in quarantine by 16 October, with daily checks for 21 days
• No licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola yet
• No restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings in Kenya

What has happened so far?

Kenya's first case was a Kenyan man who had returned home from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and died on the night of 5 October. It was the first Ebola case ever recorded in Kenya. Health teams quickly identified 130 people who had been in contact with him, including family members, friends, health workers who cared for him and people who travelled on the same flight.

By 16 October, 127 of those 130 contacts were in quarantine and receiving daily temperature and symptom checks for 21 days, the longest it can take for someone to fall ill after exposure. The two new cases were detected early because they were already in quarantine and checked every day, said Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, WHO Representative to Kenya.

Is there a risk to travellers?

Both new cases are linked to the first, imported case, and the Ministry of Health has confirmed there is no evidence of community transmission. It has noted that further cases among quarantined contacts are possible until their monitoring ends, and that any such cases will be detected and treated just as quickly.

WHO advises against closing borders or restricting trade. Kenya is screening travellers at points of entry, and WHO has handed over supplies worth around US$ 70 000, including protective equipment, Ebola testing kits and infrared thermometers. Nearly 5000 health workers have been trained since May 2026, when the outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

How does Ebola spread and what are the signs?

Ebola is not spread through the air. It spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with, or has died from, the disease, or with objects contaminated by these fluids. People with Ebola cannot pass it on before they have symptoms.

Early signs resemble malaria and other common illnesses: fever, tiredness, muscle or joint pains, headache and sore throat. Later signs can include vomiting, diarrhoea and impaired kidney and liver functions. Bleeding is less common than many people believe and usually appears later in the illness.

There is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola yet, although trials are under way in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Both new patients are receiving supportive care in designated treatment units, and the Ministry of Health reports that the second patient is in stable condition.

Contact tracing and quarantine will continue as the remaining contacts complete their 21 days of monitoring, with WHO supporting the Ministry of Health and County Health Teams.