Duale denies new Ebola case as Wajir patient undergoes tests

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has denied that Kenya has recorded another suspected Ebola case, even as health officials in Wajir isolate a 20-year-old man who fell seriously ill after travelling from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The distinction matters.

The man has not tested positive for Ebola. But authorities in Habaswein, Wajir South, have isolated him after he developed a severe illness that raised concern over a possible viral haemorrhagic fever.

When contacted by the media about reports of a suspected Ebola case in Wajir, Duale responded: “Not true.”

However, reports from Wajir indicate that a patient is indeed being investigated for a serious febrile illness, with samples collected for specialised laboratory testing.

The patient is admitted at Albadar Nursing Home in Habaswein.

He reportedly developed fever and headaches while in the DRC on September 2, according to a disease surveillance report filed at Habaswein Police Station.

He later travelled by road through Uganda and entered Kenya at Malaba before passing through Nairobi and Isiolo. He arrived in Habaswein around September 20.

After reaching home, he was initially treated at Hilac Medical Clinic for pneumonia and septicaemia for about three days.

His condition did not improve.

He was subsequently transferred to Albadar Nursing Home, where doctors found that he had severe anaemia, with a reported haemoglobin level of 4g/dL. He has since received two units of blood and medical treatment but remained unwell.

Health officials have collected samples from the patient for laboratory analysis.

At the time of the latest reports, no test had confirmed Ebola. The case was instead being investigated as a possible viral haemorrhagic fever or another severe febrile illness.

No confirmed link to Kenya's Ebola case

The Wajir investigation comes just days after Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.

That patient, a Kenyan who had lived in the DRC for several years, travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi on October 3. He was later diagnosed at The Nairobi Hospital and died.

The Ministry of Health said laboratory testing at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.

There is, however, no evidence publicly linking the Wajir patient to that confirmed case.

That distinction is crucial as health authorities work to contain public anxiety.

The government says Kenya has not entered an Ebola outbreak. It continues to describe the confirmed Nairobi case as an imported infection.

Ebola response intensifies

The Ministry of Health has meanwhile expanded contact tracing following the confirmed Nairobi case.

As of October 7, officials had identified 57 contacts, up from the initial 55. Ten had been located and placed under quarantine at the National Police Service Hospital in Nairobi, where they are being monitored for symptoms.

The government had earlier identified 28 immediate contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, while also tracing passengers and crew who travelled on the same flight as the deceased patient.

Kenya's surveillance effort has also involved screening travellers and testing people with symptoms or relevant exposure histories.

By October 6, the government said 652,584 travellers had been screened and 267 samples tested across five laboratories. Only one sample had returned positive at that point — that of the deceased Ebola patient.

The government also said 4,971 healthcare workers had received training in Ebola prevention, detection and management.

Five facilities have been designated to manage suspected or confirmed cases, including Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, National Police Service Hospital, Port Reitz Hospital and The Nairobi Hospital.

Why the Wajir case needs careful reporting

A patient being isolated because doctors suspect a viral haemorrhagic fever does not mean the patient has Ebola.

Laboratory testing is needed to establish the cause of the illness.

The Wajir investigation therefore represents a surveillance and precautionary response rather than confirmation of a second Ebola infection.

That distinction is particularly important following Kenya's first confirmed imported case, as health authorities try to identify infections early without fuelling unnecessary panic.

For now, the confirmed Ebola case remains the one imported case reported by the government, while the Wajir patient's diagnosis is still being investigated.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.