President William Ruto has ordered an enhanced national response to Ebola Virus Disease after Kenya recorded its first confirmed case linked to an imported infection.
Ruto directed the National Security Council Committee (NSCC) to convene and assess the situation following the death of the patient and recommend measures needed to prevent further transmission.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed in a statement on Tuesday, October 6 announced that the government has since stepped up surveillance, contact tracing, testing and other public health measures.
Eight family members of the deceased have been placed under quarantine and are being monitored daily for symptoms. A further 21 healthcare workers who attended to the patient have also been quarantined and are under close observation.
Authorities have expanded contact tracing to passengers who travelled on the same flight as the deceased when the patient entered Kenya.
According to the government, 27 passengers who may have had contact with the deceased have so far been identified and contacted, with appropriate public health measures being implemented.
The deceased has also been safely buried under established public health protocols.
Mohamed's statement added that surveillance and rapid response teams are already deployed across the country, building on preparedness measures Kenya has maintained since the Ebola outbreak began in May 2026.
The government further revealed that Kenya has screened 652,584 travellers and tested 267 samples as of October 6, 2026. The samples were tested across five laboratories, including the National Virology Reference Laboratory, KEMRI facilities in Nairobi and Kisumu, and two mobile laboratories stationed at the Busia and Lwakhakha border points.
Of the 267 samples tested, only one has returned positive — the sample from the deceased patient. “No additional positive cases have been detected,” Mohamed said. This comes hours after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the first confirmed imported case.
The government has also intensified preparations within the healthcare system, with 4,971 healthcare workers trained at national and county levels on Ebola prevention, detection and management.
Kenya has designated several facilities to manage suspected and confirmed Ebola cases. They include Kenyatta National Hospital, with eight beds; Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, with 50 beds; National Police Hospital, with 49 beds; and The Nairobi Hospital, with 143 beds.
County isolation centres have also been identified, while the government said additional capacity will be added depending on how the situation develops.
The State House spokesperson said Kenya was prepared to handle the public health emergency, while urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant.
Ebola Advisory
Kenyans have been advised to maintain strict hand hygiene and avoid contact with people showing symptoms associated with Ebola, including fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding.
Anyone experiencing such symptoms, particularly after possible exposure to a suspected or confirmed case, has been advised to avoid close contact with others and immediately seek guidance from a recognised health facility.
The public has also been urged to report suspected Ebola exposures or people displaying symptoms consistent with the disease to health authorities.
The Ministry of Health is expected to issue additional guidelines on preventive measures for individuals and institutions as the government continues monitoring the situation.
Mohamed said the government would continue strengthening surveillance, contact tracing, testing and treatment capacity while keeping the public informed of further developments.
