Ebola: Kenya marks first case and fatality in Bundibugyo strain outbreak

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Kenya confirmed its first case and fatality from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola after a Kenyan man became ill in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and travelled through Uganda to Nairobi. Health officials identified 57 contacts, while the WHO warned that the expanding outbreak could spread to more countries.

Kenya has recorded its first case of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus in a new escalation of an outbreak that the World Health Organization (WHO) warns risks further grave regional consequences.The WHO said that the rapid rise in infections and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), if not contained, could lead to more countries being affected.Kenyan officials said that the man in question, a Kenyan citizen, tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease after falling ill in the DRC and travelling overland through Uganda before flying to Nairobi on 3 October.The man presented multiple symptoms typical of Ebola, including fever, fatigue, chills, and a sore throat and “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,” said WHO.1Kenya’s health ministry said that it had identified 57 contacts linked to the patient,...