President William Ruto has ordered an enhanced government response after confirming its first imported case of Ebola, with the patient dying while receiving treatment in Nairobi, the government said on Tuesday.
Ruto directed the National Security Council Committee to convene, assess the situation and recommend measures to protect the country, State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said in a statement.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the case on Tuesday, saying the patient died at Nairobi Hospital on Monday night.
The government has since stepped up surveillance and contact tracing to prevent further transmission.
Eight family members of the deceased have been placed under quarantine and are being monitored daily for symptoms, Mohamed said.
Twenty-one healthcare workers who treated the patient have also been quarantined and are being monitored.
Authorities are tracing passengers who travelled on the same flight as the deceased when the patient entered Kenya.
So far, 27 passengers who may have had contact with the patient have been identified and contacted, the statement said.
The deceased was buried under public health protocols, the government said.
The government has been strengthening its Ebola preparedness and surveillance systems since the outbreak began in May, with rapid response teams deployed across the country.
As of October 6 2026, Kenya had screened 652,584 travellers and tested 267 samples at five laboratories, with only the deceased patient testing positive, according to State House.
No additional positive cases had been detected as of Tuesday. A total of 4,971 healthcare workers have been trained in Ebola prevention, detection and management at national and sub-national levels.
The government has designated four facilities to manage Ebola cases: Kenyatta National Hospital, with eight beds; Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, with 50 beds; National Police Hospital, with 49 beds; and Nairobi Hospital, with 143 beds.
The government said capacity would be expanded and additional facilities designated if necessary.
“Kenya is prepared to deal with this public health emergency,” Mohamed said.
Authorities urged the public to remain calm and vigilant, practise strict hand hygiene and avoid contact with people showing symptoms associated with Ebola, including fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding.
People experiencing such symptoms, particularly after possible exposure to a suspected or confirmed case, have been advised to avoid close contact with others and seek immediate medical guidance from a recognised health facility.
The Ministry of Health is expected to issue further guidance as the government continues to monitor the situation.
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