Kenya's Health Ministry Tracks Second Ebola Death to Bundibugyo Strain in Single Family

Kenya has recorded its second death from Ebola, marking the first fatality from the disease in the country's history. The health ministry identified the patient as a 65-year-old woman who died after being placed under quarantine. She was a close relative of the first confirmed case, a man who had arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The woman developed symptoms on October 13 while already in isolation. The first patient, who fell ill in September, was treated at multiple hospitals in the DRC before traveling to Nairobi, where he died on October 5. The ministry stated that the new case remains part of the same cluster, with no indication that the virus has spread to the wider community.

Seven other individuals are currently receiving care at two isolation facilities. This group includes three additional relatives of the initial victim, three health workers, and one hospital cleaner. Officials emphasized that all current cases are linked to this single group of contacts.

The strain circulating is the Bundibugyo species, which is less common than other variants. There is no approved vaccine or treatment for this specific strain, though clinical trials are ongoing. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, and organ failure, while some patients experience internal and external bleeding.

Kenya has implemented stricter screening for travelers arriving from the DRC and nine other high-risk nations, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Passengers from these countries must complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and present a QR code to port health officials upon arrival. Aircraft from these regions are also subject to additional public health inspections.

The situation in Kenya follows a larger outbreak in the DRC, where more than 9,500 cases have been reported and over 4,000 deaths recorded since May. The International Rescue Committee notes that Kenya faces a continued risk of new cases entering via borders. The United States has advised its citizens to avoid travel to Kenya, while neighboring Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia have placed their health systems on alert.

Uganda's health ministry announced on Friday that travelers from the DRC will no longer be permitted to transit through the country. In Nigeria, Health Minister Prof Ali Pate stated that the country's only confirmed case appears genetically related to the Kenyan strain. Officials are investigating whether the two initial patients crossed paths at Uganda's Entebbe airport earlier in the month.