The Government of Israel has removed Kenya from a list of countries that had been placed under temporary travel restrictions due to Ebola-related concerns in parts of Africa.
In a statement issued on Monday, June 15, the Israeli Embassy in Kenya also announced that Rwanda had been dropped from the list.
“We are pleased to announce that Israel’s Ministry of Health has decided to remove Kenya and Rwanda from the list of countries subject to temporary Ebola-related entry restrictions,” the embassy stated.
The restrictions had also targeted Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following reports of Ebola outbreaks and transmission in the region.
According to a June 10, 2026 notice sent to airlines, Israel’s Border Control Department had barred travellers from the affected countries from boarding flights destined for Israel.
The measures further extended to foreign nationals of any nationality who had visited any of the listed countries within 21 days of their planned travel to Israel.
The decision to lift the restrictions came only hours after Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei criticised Israel’s move to include Kenya on the list, warning that the decision risked undermining the strong diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Sing’Oei argued that Kenya has played a key role in regional Ebola surveillance and response efforts and has carried out thousands of tests without registering a single confirmed Ebola case.
“Kenya strongly protests the decision by Israel to include the country amongst those whose travellers it will restrict,” stated Sing’Oei.
Despite having no confirmed Ebola cases, Kenya and the United States entered into an agreement to build a 50-bed Ebola isolation and quarantine centre at Laikipia Air Base. The facility is intended to monitor and provide treatment for US citizens who may have been exposed to the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The proposal has sparked significant controversy, attracting public opposition and prompting the High Court to issue a temporary suspension. The matter has since placed the Kenya Kwanza administration under heightened scrutiny both locally and internationally.
Even so, the government insists that Kenya is well-equipped to respond to any potential Ebola outbreak. Authorities have intensified screening at all entry points into the country and established several quarantine centres across different regions as part of the country's preparedness strategy.
As part of efforts to prevent the virus from entering the country, Kenya has screened more than 100,000 international travellers at airports and border crossings.
The Ministry of Health continues to closely track outbreaks in neighbouring countries and currently screens about 3,000 people each day at designated Points of Entry.
The government has also revealed plans, developed in partnership with the United States, to set up 23 Ebola isolation and treatment centres nationwide as part of broader preparedness measures.
