Kenya has intensified surveillance at its borders and in high-risk counties as fears grow over the spread of Ebola from neighbouring countries, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said on Wednesday.
Speaking after Eid al-Adha prayers at the Sir Ali Muslim Club grounds in Nairobi, Duale said the government was taking precautionary measures to stop the virus from entering the country amid a worsening outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and parts of Uganda.
“The government remains on high alert at all border points and within designated high-risk counties,” Duale told journalists. “I urge residents, especially those along the border with Uganda, to treat the advisories from the Ministry of Health with the seriousness they deserve.”
Health officials have increased screening and monitoring efforts, particularly in counties bordering Uganda, as regional concern grows over the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The World Health Organization recently classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, warning that the disease spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and can be fatal. Unlike some other strains of Ebola, the Bundibugyo variant currently has no approved vaccine or licensed treatment.
The outbreak has triggered strict containment measures in eastern Congo. Authorities in Kinshasa suspended commercial flights to and from Bunia, a city in the Ituri province where infections have continued to rise. Humanitarian and emergency flights are still allowed under strict approval procedures.
Kenya has not reported any Ebola cases linked to the current outbreak, but health experts have repeatedly warned that regional movement and cross-border trade increase the risk of transmission.
Duale used the occasion not only to address public health concerns but also to call for national unity during a period of regional uncertainty.
“I urge our Muslim faithful to embrace the true spirit of Eid by extending generosity to the less fortunate,” he said. “We should not view one another through the lenses of tribe or religion.”
He also appealed to political and community leaders to promote cohesion, saying social unity would be critical if the country faces external health emergencies.
Eid al-Adha, one of the holiest celebrations in Islam, was marked across Kenya with prayers, charity and communal meals. Thousands of worshippers gathered in mosques and open grounds in Nairobi and other major towns to celebrate the occasion.
Public health officials have meanwhile urged Kenyans to remain calm but vigilant, advising travellers and border communities to report any suspected symptoms immediately.