Breaking! Kenya Records First Ebola Case As Patient Succumbs In Nairobi

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has confirmed Kenya’s first case and fatality of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease (BDBV), a severe and often fatal strain of the viral hemorrhagic fever.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, October 6, Duale disclosed that the patient, a Kenyan citizen, had been residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years before returning to the country.

According to the Ministry of Health, the patient fell ill approximately a month prior while in the DRC, where he sought medical attention at multiple facilities. On October 3, he embarked on a journey back home, traveling by road from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, before boarding Jambojet flight 8523 to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

Upon arrival at JKIA, the patient cleared standard airport public health screenings and was transported by a relative in a Toyota Fielder (KDG 699Z) directly to The Nairobi Hospital, where he was immediately placed in an emergency room isolation unit.

Medical staff at the facility observed several clinical symptoms, including high fever, chills, severe fatigue, muscle aches, sore throat, painful swallowing, and cutaneous bleeding at injection sites. Suspecting a viral hemorrhagic fever due to his symptoms and travel background, doctors sent samples for specialized testing. Results from both the National Virology Reference Laboratory at the National Public Health Institute and the KEMRI laboratory confirmed the presence of the Ebola Bundibugyo strain.

Despite receiving specialized supportive care, the patient succumbed to the virus on Monday night at approximately 11:30 PM. CS Duale extended the government’s condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has launched an aggressive contact-tracing operation. Authorities have already identified 28 individuals who came into direct contact with the patient. Public health teams are also actively tracking 23 passengers and four crew members who were aboard Jambojet flight 8523.