Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) travelled to the country.   The World Health Organization (WHO) said the patient fell ill in the DRC and received treatment at several health facilities before travelling by road to Kampala, Uganda, through Beni on October 2. The patient then flew to Nairobi on October 3. Upon arrival in Kenya, the patient was taken to a hospital in Nairobi and isolated. Samples tested positive for Bundibugyo virus at Kenya’s National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute. The patient died on October 5 despite receiving supportive care and was buried the following day under Kenya’s Ebola safe and dignified burial protocol. Kenya notified the WHO of the case on October 6, in line with the International Health Regulations. Health authorities have identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who cared for the patient. They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same flight, with follow-up and quarantine arrangements being made for people considered at risk. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said Kenya had introduced measures to contain the outbreak, including case investigation, contact tracing, surveillance and screening at high-risk points of entry. “The priority now is to move swiftly to detect any further cases before the virus has an opportunity to spread,” Janabi said. Kenya is the fourth country to confirm Bundibugyo virus disease. The DRC is currently responding to an outbreak, while Uganda ended its latest outbreak in August 2026. France also reported a travel-related case of BVD in June. The WHO said Kenya had been on high alert since May because of outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda. As of October 6, Kenya had screened more than 652,000 travellers entering the country, tested 267 suspected samples and trained about 5,000 healthcare workers on Ebola prevention and management. The WHO has also supported Kenya’s Ministry of Health and National Public Health Institute with Ebola simulation exercises, rapid response team training and assessments of isolation facilities in 27 high-risk counties. Kenya’s Ebola preparedness score rose from 66 per cent in May to 82 per cent in July 2026, according to the WHO. The UN health agency advised against imposing travel or trade restrictions on Kenya, Uganda or the DRC based on the available information.