Ebola: Why Ministry has suspended hotel meetings, conferences

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The Ministry of Health has suspended hotel-based meetings, conferences and seminars for its staff following Kenya’s confirmation of its first Ebola case.

In a circular seen by The Standard, the ministry said the move was intended to prioritise emergency preparedness, contact tracing and response measures to prevent further spread of the disease.

“All meetings, seminars and conferences scheduled to be held in hotels are suspended with immediate effect from Wednesday, October 7, 2026, until further notice. Any exception shall require prior approval,” Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said.

The directive applies only to Ministry of Health staff and does not amount to a blanket suspension of government meetings and seminars held in hotels.

“For avoidance of doubt, this measure does not constitute a blanket suspension of government meetings or seminars held in hotels,” the ministry said in a notice to newsrooms.

Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Ebola on October 6, involving a citizen who travelled by road from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Uganda before flying to Nairobi.

The patient presented symptoms consistent with Ebola, including fever, chills, extreme fatigue, muscle pain and bleeding under the skin.

After testing positive for the Bundibugyo virus, the patient was treated at Nairobi Hospital but died on Monday evening. He was buried on Tuesday in accordance with public health guidelines.

As of Saturday, October 10, at least 60 contacts had been traced, while 10 people had been placed in quarantine.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has assured the public that Kenya has not experienced an Ebola outbreak, adding that the country remains open to travel, tourism and trade.