On Oct. 6, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it is working closely with the Government of Kenya to intensify key control measures to prevent further spread of the virus following the confirmation by Kenyan authorities of the country’s first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a severe Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, one of the Orthoebolavirus species. It is a zoonotic disease, with fruit bats suspected to be the natural reservoir.

BVD is a severe, often fatal illness. It spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person, or with contaminated materials. There are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease, but candidate products are being evaluated in clinical trials.

The government is strengthening its response coordination and case investigation, while monitoring and listing contacts for enhanced disease surveillance. At the core of the response efforts are screening at high-risk points of entry, and clear risk communication, while engaging communities to help prevent infection. These measures are rapidly being deployed to ensure the identification of cases and help contain further transmission.

The patient, a Kenyan citizen, fell ill in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they had been living, and was treated at several health facilities there. The patient then travelled by road to Kampala, Uganda through Beni on 2 October 2026, and flew to Nairobi, arriving on 3 October 2026. On arrival, the patient was transported to a hospital in Nairobi and was quickly isolated. Samples tested positive for Bundibugyo virus at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Despite supportive care, the patient died on the night of 5 October 2026 and was buried on 6 October 2026 in line with the country’s Ebola safe and dignified burial protocol.

The Government of Kenya notified WHO of the case in line with the International Health Regulations (2005) on 6 October 2026. Kenya is the fourth country to confirm BVD. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is responding to an ongoing BVD outbreak, while Uganda, where the Bundibugyo virus species was first detected in 2007, ended the latest outbreak in August 2026. Most cases in Uganda were imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the remaining few were locally acquired among contacts and health workers linked to imported cases. France reported a travel-related case of BVD in June 2026.

Health authorities in Kenya have so far listed 28 contacts, including family members and health workers who cared for the patient. They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members from the same flight, with arrangements underway for appropriate follow-up and quarantine of people assessed to be at risk.

Kenya has been on high alert since May 2026, when outbreaks were declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. As of 6 October 2026, Kenya has screened over 652 000 travellers entering the country, tested 267 suspected samples and trained around 5000 health workers on Ebola prevention and management.