Kenya has confirmed its eighth Ebola case as authorities intensify surveillance and containment measures amid a wider outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Kenya’s Director-General for Health, Patrick Amoth, said “On 18 October that one of 38 people tested that day had returned a positive result. The patient is a 49-year-old man who worked as a patient attendant, cleaning utensils and linens, and was not a healthcare worker.”
According to health officials, the man developed fever, headache and muscle pain. He was isolated after developing symptoms, and the positive test result was confirmed on Sunday. Authorities believe he may have been exposed to Kenya’s first recorded case, a man who travelled from the DRC to Nairobi and died in hospital on 5 October.
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Kenya has stepped up health surveillance, including at border crossings, as concerns grow over cross-border transmission. The developments come as the DRC confirmed that its Ebola outbreak had spread to North Ubangi, marking the eighth province affected.
The expanding outbreak has raised concerns about regional health security and the need for coordinated surveillance, rapid testing, isolation and contact tracing. Health authorities continue to monitor suspected cases and strengthen measures to limit further transmission.
The situation highlights the importance of early detection and cross-border cooperation in responding to infectious disease outbreaks.
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