Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease after a patient who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo died in Nairobi….reports Africa Daily News Desk
Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), prompting authorities to intensify surveillance and other measures to prevent further transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Kenyan government as it investigates contacts and strengthens screening at high-risk points of entry.
The patient, a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), became ill while in the country and received treatment at several health facilities there.
The patient travelled by road from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, through Beni on October 2, 2026, before flying to Nairobi, arriving on October 3. The patient was taken to a hospital in Nairobi on arrival and was quickly isolated.
Samples tested positive for Bundibugyo virus at both Kenya’s National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Despite receiving supportive care, the patient died on the night of October 5 and was buried on October 6 under Kenya’s Ebola safe and dignified burial protocol.
The Kenyan government notified the WHO of the case on October 6 in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005).
Kenyan authorities have so far listed 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who cared for the patient. They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same flight, with arrangements being made for appropriate follow-up and quarantine of people considered to be at risk.
The government is strengthening case investigation and response coordination while monitoring and listing contacts for enhanced disease surveillance. Screening at high-risk points of entry, risk communication and community engagement are also central to the response.
“Health emergency preparedness gives us a head start. Kenya has put important outbreak control measures in place. The priority now is to move swiftly to detect any further cases before the virus has an opportunity to spread. We’re supporting the ongoing efforts to strengthen the response, and with rapid and coordinated action, we can prevent the virus from gaining a foothold and stop a potential larger outbreak,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Kenya is the fourth country to confirm BVD. The DRC is responding to an ongoing outbreak, while Uganda, where the Bundibugyo virus species was first detected in 2007, ended its latest outbreak in August 2026.
Most cases reported in Uganda during the latest outbreak were imported from the DRC, while the remaining cases were locally acquired among contacts and healthcare workers linked to imported cases. France also reported a travel-related case of BVD in June 2026.
Kenya has remained on high alert since May 2026, when outbreaks were declared in the DRC and Uganda. As of October 6, the country had screened more than 652,000 travellers entering Kenya, tested 267 suspected samples and trained around 5,000 health workers on Ebola prevention and management.
The WHO and its partners have supported Kenya’s Ministry of Health and National Public Health Institute in strengthening preparedness. Support has included Ebola simulation exercises and training a national pool of rapid response trainers, including responders who worked during the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak.
Isolation units in 27 high-risk counties have been identified and assessed, while case managers have been trained and Ebola surveillance tools updated to help ensure suspected cases are identified, reported and investigated quickly.
Risk communication and community engagement have also been strengthened through public messaging, media and community outreach, call centre support and efforts to monitor and counter rumours and misinformation.
The WHO has delivered about 1,000 Ebola tests and 1,000 personal protective equipment kits to high-risk counties in Kenya.
Kenya’s Ebola preparedness score, which measures progress in areas including surveillance, laboratory testing, isolation and treatment facilities and trained response teams, increased from 66 per cent in May to 82 per cent in July 2026.
The WHO said it did not recommend restrictions on travel to or trade with the DRC, Uganda or Kenya based on currently available information. It said it would continue to monitor and, where necessary, verify travel and trade measures linked to the case.
The organisation also called for continued international support for response efforts in affected countries, saying government-led action combined with community engagement and global solidarity remained essential to containing the outbreak.
