Since the first case was detected in Kenya on October 3, the Ministry has traced all 135 people who came into contact with the imported case, with those placed under quarantine released in batches after completing their 21-day monitoring period.
The first 20 contacts completed monitoring and were released on October 26, while another 46 were expected to leave quarantine on November 3.Kenya recorded nine infections during the outbreak, with two deaths reported.
Duale announced that the country would begin the 42-day countdown on Thursday, November 12, marking the final stage before Kenya can be declared free of Ebola on December 23, 2026, provided no new infections are reported.
“On Thursday, November 12, 2026, marks day one of the 42-day countdown to the end of the Ebola outbreak in Kenya. If no new case is reported in that period, Kenya will be declared free of Ebola on December 23, 2026. Active surveillance will continue countrywide, at all health facilities and all points of entry,” Duale said.
He explained that the 42-day period was twice the longest incubation period of the virus, making continued monitoring necessary even after the last patient had been discharged.
The CS thanked the Kenya Defence Forces, particularly its medical team, the National Police Service, the multi-agency team and border counties for responding to alerts, investigating suspected infections and ensuring samples were dispatched without delays.
He also praised cooperation between the national and county governments, saying the response had demonstrated the importance of working together despite health being a devolved function.
Duale further thanked affected families, patients and contacts for their patience and cooperation, noting that they had endured illness, loss, separation and stigma during the outbreak.
He acknowledged the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa CDC, UNICEF, IGAD, the United States government, India and Rwanda, among other partners.
Despite the recovery of all patients, the CS said the government will maintain heightened surveillance during the countdown, with rapid response teams remaining on alert in every county.
More than 760,000 travellers have so far been screened at the country’s 26 points of entry.
Duale said screening will continue alongside monitoring in health facilities and communities, with every alert investigated and survivors receiving follow-up care and support.
The Ministry’s incident management teams will also conduct an initial review to assess the response, identify gaps and establish areas requiring improvement.
A full review will follow once the outbreak is officially declared over.Meanwhile, Duale warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remained active, leaving Kenya exposed to the risk of imported infections.
He said the Ministry of Health, working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, would issue an advisory in the coming days to guide Kenyans returning from the DRC and other affected areas, particularly during the festive season.
The guidelines will include completing a health declaration through the Ministry’s chatbot before travelling, screening upon arrival and 21 days of quarantine with follow-up by health teams.
Duale also called on countries that had imposed travel and visa restrictions on Kenya following the outbreak to review and lift the measures, arguing that the country had no patients under treatment, no contacts under monitoring and no community transmission.
He maintained that Kenya had been transparent throughout the response by reporting cases early, publishing figures and keeping its borders open in line with international health regulations.
“Transparency must be rewarded, and not punished,” he said, warning that penalising countries for openly reporting outbreaks could discourage other countries from sharing information.
Add Comment