Kenya has intensified nationwide disease surveillance and emergency preparedness measures following renewed fears of Ebola virus importation.
This is after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The move comes amid rising regional concern after suspected Ebola cases in DRC and Uganda reportedly increased to about 600, with 139 suspected deaths, prompting heightened alert across East Africa due to strong cross-border movement, trade routes and air travel connections.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed that Kenya remains free of Ebola but warned that the country has scaled up surveillance at all points of entry as a precautionary measure.
“As of now, Kenya is Ebola-free, but we cannot afford complacency given the regional situation,” Duale said in a statement.
The ministry reported that at least 34,500 travellers had been screened across the country as of May 18, 2026, including international passengers, local travellers, truck drivers and transport conveyances at key border points.
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The enhanced response includes deployment of an online passenger surveillance system, population mobility mapping in high-risk border counties, strengthened airport screening through the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, and improved coordination with neighbouring countries.
Kenya has also boosted laboratory preparedness through designated testing facilities at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), alongside efforts to map ambulance capacity in high-risk counties in partnership with the Kenya Red Cross Society.
“The situation in the DRC remains a major concern due to our strong regional links through road transport, air travel and cross-border movement of people,” the ministry noted.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak risk remains high at regional and national levels despite the global risk being assessed as low.
“Beyond the confirmed cases, there are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. We expect those numbers to keep increasing,” he said, warning that the virus may have been circulating undetected for months before detection.
WHO officials said investigations are ongoing to establish the origin of the outbreak, with contact tracing, isolation and treatment of suspected cases being prioritized to contain transmission.
According to WHO Technical Officer Anaïs Legand, the scale of the outbreak suggests delayed detection.
“We are thinking that it has started probably a couple of months ago, but investigations are ongoing,” she said.
The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant for which no widely available vaccine or approved treatment currently exists, raising concerns among health experts.
“There is no approved vaccine or therapeutics available in sufficient quantities at the moment,” said WHO Senior Advisor Dr Vasee Moorthy, noting that development of a suitable vaccine could take up to nine months.
Kenya’s Health Ministry has stepped up coordination with WHO, with Duale meeting the organisation’s leadership in Geneva to strengthen collaboration on Ebola preparedness, pharmaceutical regulation and regional health security.
He said discussions focused on enhancing Kenya’s regulatory systems to support local vaccine and pharmaceutical production, strengthening preparedness for Ebola, and reinforcing the role of the WHO Regional Hub in Nairobi as a centre for continental health coordination.
“We outlined strengthened measures, including enhanced surveillance at points of entry, rapid response coordination and community awareness,” Duale said.
Kenya has also requested accelerated support from WHO to achieve Maturity Level 3 status under the Global Benchmarking Tool, a key milestone expected to position the country as a regional hub for quality-assured medical products.
The ministry emphasized that while the risk of global spread remains low, continued vigilance is essential to prevent cross-border transmission and protect public health across the region.