Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale (left) and Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muriuki during a press briefing at Afya House in Nairobi on October 6, 2026, following Kenya’s confirmation of its first Ebola virus case.

📋 Breaking It Down

Kenya’s Ebola preparedness has come under scrutiny after screening protocols failed to detect a case at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with the patient testing positive for the virus in Nairobi barely 24 hours before dying.

Health Services Director-General Patrick Amoth on Tuesday said the symptoms usually detected during screening before travel may have been masked by medication that the patient was on.

“It is potentially possible that some of the medication he was taking could be able to mask some of the symptoms and therefore give a false positive screening, meaning you could pass through the screening,” he said.

📌 What You Need to Know

On Tuesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the patient, a Kenyan citizen, fell ill in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he had been living and was treated at several health facilities there.

“The patient then travelled by road to Kampala, Uganda through Beni on 2 October 2026, and flew to Nairobi, arriving on 3 October 2026. On arrival, the patient was transported to a hospital in Nairobi and was quickly isolated, “ said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

He added: “Samples tested positive for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Despite supportive care, the patient died on the night of 5 October 2026 and was buried on 6 October 2026 in line with the country’s Ebola safe and dignified burial protocol.”

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The government notified WHO of the case in line with the International Health Regulations (2005) on 6 October 2026.

A senior Kenya Airways official, however, said the airline could not comment on the Ebola preparedness and ability of the country’s airports to screen every passenger. The officials said responsibility for such measures lay with the Ministry of Health and Port Health Services as the issue was bigger than the airline.

📰 Source: Nation Africa