Kenya Health Ministry confirms second Ebola fatality in country's first outbreak
A 65-year-old woman died in quarantine, linking her case to a relative who arrived from DR Congo, while seven others remain isolated in Nairobi.
By Alina Carter ·
The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling the second most deadly Ebola outbreak in history, a crisis that has now crossed into Kenya. The Kenyan health ministry announced on 24 October that the nation has recorded its second death from the virus. This marks the first confirmed fatalities in the country since it began tracking the disease.
The victim is a 65-year-old woman who was already under quarantine when she developed symptoms on 13 October. She is a close family member of the first confirmed patient in Kenya. That initial patient was a man who had traveled from DR Congo. He fell ill in September and received treatment at multiple hospitals in the Congo before moving to Nairobi, where he died on 5 October.
Seven other individuals are currently receiving care at two isolation facilities. This group includes three relatives of the first victim, three health workers, and one hospital cleaner. The ministry stated that all current cases form a single cluster. Officials emphasized there is no evidence of wider community transmission at this time.
The strain causing these infections is the Bundibugyo species, which is rare. No approved vaccine or specific treatment exists for this variant, though clinical trials are ongoing. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit. Symptoms can escalate to vomiting, diarrhea, and organ failure, with some patients experiencing internal or external bleeding.
Kenya has implemented stricter border controls in response to the regional surge. Enhanced screening is now required for travelers arriving from DR Congo and nine other high-risk nations, including Uganda and Tanzania. Passengers must complete a digital surveillance form and present a QR code to port health officials upon landing. Aircraft from these regions are subject to additional public health inspections.
The outbreak has prompted international travel advisories and border adjustments. The United States has warned its citizens to avoid travel to Kenya. Neighboring countries Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia are on alert. Uganda's health ministry announced on 23 October that travelers from DR Congo can no longer transit through its territory. Nigeria's health minister, Prof Ali Pate, noted a genetic link between a confirmed case in Nigeria and the strain in Kenya, with tests underway to determine if the two patients connected in Uganda.
More than 4,000 people have died in Africa since Ebola was confirmed in DR Congo in May. The country has reported over 9,500 cases. The International Rescue Committee is assisting both governments to limit the spread, noting that Kenya faces a steady risk of new cases crossing its borders.
