Health · Public Health & Disease · 1 hr ago
Kenya confirms second Ebola case in relative of first patient
Kenya has confirmed a second Ebola case, in a 39-year-old close relative of its first patient.
The first patient, a 40-year-old Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, travelled through Uganda to Nairobi and died there on October 5.
Health officials identified about 128 people who had contact with him, and 108 were placed in quarantine.
The second patient was in quarantine when symptoms began and is receiving care at a designated treatment centre.
The cases are linked, and Kenya says there is no evidence of spread in the community.
The infection is part of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has caused more than 4,000 deaths this year, and the new case has raised concerns about cross-border screening.
Kenya has tightened checks at borders and airports, while officials continue contact tracing and say they will share updates on the patient's condition.
Kenya confirmed its second Ebola case on Wednesday, involving a close relative of the first patient.
The 39-year-old man developed symptoms while in quarantine and was taken to a designated treatment centre.
The first patient, a Kenyan man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo through Uganda, died in a Nairobi hospital on 5 October.
Health officials said the two cases were linked and that there was no evidence of spread in the community.
The cases have raised concerns about screening at borders and airports in the region.
- Who
- A 39-year-old close relative of Kenya’s first Ebola patient.
- What
- Kenya confirmed the man’s Ebola infection. He developed symptoms while in quarantine.
- When
- The case was confirmed on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. He developed symptoms on Tuesday.
- Where
- Kenya. The patient was in quarantine and is receiving care at a designated treatment centre.
- Why
- The cases were linked, according to Kenya’s Health Ministry. How the relative became infected was not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The first patient began feeling unwell in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the BBC.
The first patient arrived in Uganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to AP.
The first patient flew to Nairobi, according to Africanews.
The first patient tested positive for Ebola and died in a Nairobi hospital.
The second patient developed symptoms while in quarantine.
Kenya confirmed the second Ebola case.
- Second patient
- 39-year-old close family member of the first patient
- First patient’s death
- 5 October 2026
- Contacts linked to first case
- About 128
- Contacts in quarantine
- 108
- Second patient’s care
- Designated treatment centre
5 sources
What people are saying
improves his chances of recovery
Leave Uganda out of this conversation. We don’t have Ebola here.