Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola, with the Ministry of Health announcing that the country’s emergency response framework has been activated to contain the outbreak.
Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth, CBS, disclosed the development in an official statement released on Wednesday, noting that the response is now being coordinated through a single national command under the Public Health (Ebola Disease) Rules, 2026.
Kenya’s response to second Ebola case According to a press release, the second patient is a 39-year-old man who is a close family member of the first case.
The ministry said the individual who was under the 21-day mandatory quarantine developed fever, fatigue, and joint pains.
The Ministry stated that as soon as the man developed fever, fatigue, and joint pains, the quarantine team isolated him and collected a specimen.
He was tested at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the KEMRI-CDC laboratory, with the results returning positive.
Amoth confirmed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been formally notified of the situation in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005), signalling that Kenya is following established global protocols for disease outbreak management.
Despite the confirmation of a second case, the government clarified that no restrictions have been placed on travel, trade, or public gatherings, and that the country remains fully open. Authorities emphasised that Ebola does not spread through the air.
The disease transmits through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of someone who is sick with, or has died from, the infection.
The government called on the public to remain calm while staying alert to potential warning signs.
The Ministry listed several symptoms that should prompt an immediate visit to the nearest health facility: fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, and unexplained bleeding.
Dr. Amoth appealed to members of the public to respect the privacy of the affected family and to avoid circulating unverified information.
He urged Kenyans to rely solely on official Ministry of Health updates and directed those seeking information to call the toll-free line 719.
(TUKO.co.ke)
