A Kenyan citizen who recently returned from Congo has become the first confirmed case of Ebola in Kenya, with authorities confirming the man died late on Monday. This alarming development has prompted immediate contact tracing to prevent further spread of the virus.
The man had been living in Congo for seven years and fell ill about a month ago. He was treated in various hospitals there before travelling by road to Kampala, Uganda, where he flew to Nairobi, arriving on Saturday afternoon, according to Health Minister Aden Duale.
Health officials in Kenya have heightened security at border points and initiated monitoring for possible additional cases. The patient was admitted to Nairobi Hospital, where he tested positive for Ebola.
Ebola is highly contagious, spreading through contact with bodily fluids and contaminated materials. The latest outbreak, declared in mid-May, has recorded over 8,400 cases and more than 4,000 deaths, making it the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease in history. This marks the first Ebola case in Kenya, as indicated by the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Since May, Kenya has tested 267 samples across five laboratories prior to this incident. The country also operates a US-funded quarantine centre for American citizens potentially exposed to the virus, which has faced protests and legal challenges from local residents.
Currently, Kenya is the fourth country to report a case in this outbreak. Before this case, there had been no active cases outside Congo since Uganda declared its outbreak over in August. Officials have identified 28 contacts of the patient, including family members and health workers, as well as 23 other passengers and four crew members from the same flight.
Contacts will remain in isolation for 21 days and will only be released after testing negative for the virus. The man’s family has already arranged for his burial within 24 hours, following public health protocols.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention praised the swift identification and isolation of the patient and has sent a high-level team to Kenya for support. Meanwhile, in Congo, health workers face significant challenges, including violence, misinformation, and difficulties accessing treatment centres.
Stéphanie Hoffmann from Doctors Without Borders likened the situation to “fighting a megafire,” as the outbreak continues to escalate across multiple locations. The World Health Organisation has warned that this could surpass the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, which claimed over 11,000 lives in West Africa more than a decade ago.
