Kenya confirms second Ebola death as regional strain spreads
The 65-year-old woman was a close relative of the first victim, and seven other patients remain in isolation.
By Layla Fontaine ·
A 65-year-old woman in Kenya has died from Ebola, marking the second confirmed fatality in the country's first recorded outbreak of the disease. The Health Ministry stated that the patient was already in quarantine when she developed symptoms on 13 October. She was a close family member of the first victim, a man who had traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The first patient had fallen ill in September. He was treated at multiple hospitals in the DR Congo before arriving in Nairobi, where he died on 5 October. Seven other individuals are currently receiving treatment at two isolation facilities. This group includes three other relatives of the first victim, three health workers, and a hospital cleaner.
Officials emphasize that all current cases belong to a single cluster. The ministry reports no evidence of community spread. However, the outbreak in Kenya is linked to a much larger crisis in the DR Congo. More than 4,000 people have died in Africa since the disease was confirmed in that country in May. The DR Congo has reported over 9,500 cases, making it the second deadliest Ebola outbreak on record.
The strain identified is the Bundibugyo species, which is relatively rare. There is no approved vaccine or standard treatment for this variant, though clinical trials are ongoing. Ebola spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhoea, and organ failure. Some patients experience internal and external bleeding.
Kenya has introduced enhanced screening for travellers arriving from the DR Congo and eight other high-risk nations. These include Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Passengers must complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and present a QR code to port health officials upon landing. Aircraft from these regions are subject to additional public health checks.
The United States has issued a travel warning for its citizens visiting Kenya. Neighbouring countries Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia have placed their health systems on alert. Uganda's health ministry announced on Friday that travellers from the DR Congo can no longer transit through the country. Nigeria's health minister, Prof Ali Pate, noted that a confirmed case in Nigeria appears genetically related to the strain in Kenya. Both first patients are believed to have travelled through Uganda's Entebbe airport earlier this month. Officials are examining whether the two crossed paths.
