Kenya Health Ministry Confirms Second Ebola Death in National Outbreak

Kenya’s health ministry confirmed the second death from Ebola in the country, marking the first recorded national outbreak of the disease. The patient was a 65-year-old woman who died while under quarantine. She was a close family member of the initial victim, a man who had traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The ministry stated that the woman developed symptoms on 13 October while already in isolation. The first patient had fallen ill in September and received treatment at several hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo before arriving in Nairobi. He died a few days after reaching the Kenyan capital on 5 October.

Seven additional patients are currently being treated at two isolation facilities. This group includes three other relatives of the first victim, three health workers, and a hospital cleaner. The ministry emphasized that all cases belong to a single cluster with no evidence of community spread.

The outbreak follows a larger crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than 4,000 people have died since the disease was confirmed in May. That country has reported over 9,500 cases, making it the second most deadly Ebola outbreak on record. The International Rescue Committee, which is assisting both governments, noted that Kenya faces a steady risk of new cases crossing its borders.

The strain involved is the Bundibugyo species, which is relatively rare. No approved vaccine or treatment exists for this strain, although trials are under way. Ebola spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, and organ failure, with some patients experiencing internal and external bleeding.

Kenya has introduced enhanced screening for travelers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo and nine other high-risk countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Passengers must complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and show a QR code to port health officials upon arrival. Aircraft from these nations are subject to extra public health screening. The United States has advised its citizens against traveling to Kenya, while Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia remain on alert.

Nigeria’s health minister, Prof Ali Pate, said the country’s only confirmed case appeared genetically related to the strain found in Kenya. Officials are examining whether the two patients crossed paths, as both are believed to have traveled through Uganda’s Entebbe airport earlier this month. Uganda’s health ministry announced on Friday that people who have traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo will no longer be allowed to transit through the country.