Kenya Confirms Eighth Ebola Case as Outbreak Expands in Congo
A hospital worker tested positive in Nairobi while the deadly Bundibugyo strain reached an eighth province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, prompting fresh travel curbs.
Kenya confirmed its eighth case of Ebola on Sunday after an individual in quarantine tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain. On the same day, health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed the virus had spread to an eighth province, Nord-Ubangi.
Kenyan Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth said the new patient is a 49-year-old male hospital attendant. The man cleaned utensils and linens and was exposed while tending to the country's index case. Dr. Amoth said the patient developed a fever, headache, and muscle aches.
The index patient was a 40-year-old Kenyan man who traveled from the DRC through Uganda. He arrived in Kenya on Oct. 3, 2026, and died at The Nairobi Hospital on Oct. 5, 2026. All eight Kenyan cases stem from direct contact with him, including three relatives, three healthcare workers, and the attendant.
Dr. Amoth reported that 38 people were tested on Sunday, with only one returning positive. The six other surviving patients in Kenya are in stable condition and receiving supportive therapy. The Kenyan Ministry of Health said no community transmission has been detected because all cases involve quarantined contacts.
In the DRC, the Health Ministry reported two confirmed cases among men in their 20s in Nord-Ubangi's Wapinda health zone, resulting in one death. Nord-Ubangi borders the Central African Republic. The other affected provinces are Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, South-Ubangi, and Tshopo.
The DRC epidemic, declared in mid-May 2026, has recorded more than 9,400 cases and over 4,500 deaths, a fatality rate of roughly 48%. It is the deadliest outbreak in Congolese history and the second-largest globally. Ituri province remains the epicenter, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all confirmed cases across 66 health zones.
World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi said the virus is spreading geographically across borders, even as transmission drops in localized pockets. WHO officials noted that fear and community resistance led to approximately two-thirds of DRC deaths occurring at home rather than inside medical centers.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or authorized antiviral treatment. Neighboring Uganda recorded 20 cases and two deaths earlier in the outbreak before declaring itself Ebola-free in August 2026.
North Kivu provincial authorities announced a one-week travel ban starting Monday on arrivals from Ituri province. The administration is also restricting public transport loads and suspending large public gatherings. In Kenya, 128 contacts remain under quarantine, while neighboring Tanzania has instituted reinforced border surveillance and 21-day tracking protocols for arriving travelers.
