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News
Ebola crosses into Kenya as Congo outbreak grows. A Kenyan man who had lived in Congo for seven years died in Nairobi on Monday after traveling through Uganda, becoming Kenya's first confirmed Ebola case. Authorities are now racing to trace 28 contacts and 27 people from his flight as the Congo outbreak — the second largest on record — surpasses 8,000 cases and 4,000 deaths.
Kenya confirmed its first Ebola case on Tuesday after a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for seven years died at Nairobi Hospital. The patient traveled by road from Congo to Kampala, Uganda, then boarded a Jambojet flight to Nairobi on Saturday — passing through airport health screening, possibly because medication had masked his symptoms. He was admitted with fever, chills, and bleeding beneath the skin before being placed in isolation, and died late Monday.
Kenya is now the third country to record a case linked to the ongoing Congo outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain. Uganda had previously reported 20 cases and two deaths but was declared Ebola-free in August. Kenyan health officials say nearly 5,000 health workers have been trained in Ebola prevention and management, and the government is moving swiftly to contain the spread.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: The case highlights how quickly Ebola can cross borders via air travel, even with screening in place. With the Congo outbreak still active, health systems in neighboring countries — and beyond — must stay on high alert.
