Kenya confirms a second Ebola case as WHO urges vigilance without border closures

18 October 2026

Kenya's Ministry of Health confirmed a second person testing positive for the Bundibugyo virus, the strain behind the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The patient is a 39-year-old man and a relative of Kenya's first case, who died in hospital on 5 October 2026 after arriving in Nairobi via Uganda on 3 October. He was among contacts already placed in quarantine and developed symptoms on 13 October 2026. More than 40 contacts of the first patient were traced, including airline passengers and crew, airport workers, baggage handlers, immigration officials and health personnel. WHO has donated some 70,000 dollars worth of supplies and more than 4,000 health workers have been trained, including for screening at ports of entry. The WHO Representative in Kenya, Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, said there is no need to impose travel restrictions or close national borders.