Kenya confirms second Ebola case as 39-year-old relative tests positive while in quarantine

Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola after a 39-year-old man who was already under quarantine tested positive for the virus, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

The patient is a close family member of the country's first confirmed Ebola patient, who died in Nairobi on October 5 after travelling from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth said the second patient developed fever, fatigue and joint pains on Tuesday, October 13.

Health workers immediately isolated him and collected samples for laboratory testing.

The National Virology Reference Laboratory and the KEMRI-CDC laboratory both confirmed infection with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

The patient is receiving supportive care at a designated treatment centre.

Is Ebola spreading in Kenya?

Health authorities say the two confirmed cases are epidemiologically linked, meaning they belong to the same identified chain of transmission.

There is currently no evidence of wider community transmission.

The second patient had already been identified as a close contact of the first case and placed under daily monitoring before developing symptoms.

That distinction is important because it means health workers detected the infection within an existing quarantine arrangement rather than discovering an unexplained infection in the wider population.

However, the second confirmed case demonstrates why contact tracing and continued surveillance remain essential.

How many people are under monitoring?

The Ministry of Health has identified 128 contacts associated with the first patient.

Of these, 113 have been traced, including 108 people placed under quarantine in Kenya.

Five contacts are outside the country, and health authorities in the relevant countries have been informed.

Tracing continues for the remaining 15 contacts.

Officials are also assessing people who may have had contact with the second patient after he developed symptoms, including healthcare and quarantine-centre personnel.

How did Ebola reach Kenya?

The first patient had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a major Ebola outbreak has been ongoing since May.

He travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi on October 3.

His illness and subsequent death raised concerns about the effectiveness of health screening along regional travel routes.

Kenya has since strengthened screening at entry points, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Health experts warn that temperature checks alone cannot reliably identify every infection because early symptoms may be absent or difficult to distinguish from other illnesses.

What are the symptoms of Ebola?

Ebola can initially cause fever, severe fatigue, headache, muscle pain and joint pain.

Some patients subsequently develop vomiting, diarrhoea and other serious complications.

The disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or contaminated materials.

It does not spread through ordinary airborne transmission in the way that measles does.

People who believe they may have been exposed should contact health authorities for assessment rather than travelling independently to crowded healthcare facilities.

What happens next?

Health authorities will continue monitoring identified contacts and providing treatment to the second patient.

The Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak currently has no approved strain-specific vaccine or treatment, making early detection, supportive care and infection prevention particularly important.

Kenya has reported two confirmed infections and one death.

The government is urging the public to remain vigilant while avoiding panic, noting that the second case was detected within the established contact-monitoring system.