Last patient released as Kenya gears to be declared Ebola-free in 42 days

Kenya will on Thursday begin a 42-day countdown towards being declared free of Ebola, following the discharge of the last patient receiving treatment for the disease and the release of the final 11 contacts from quarantine.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the country could be declared Ebola-free on December 23 if no new infections are recorded during the period, which is twice the longest incubation period of the virus.

“Tomorrow, Thursday, 12th November 2026, marks Day 1 of the 42-day countdown to the end of this outbreak. Forty-two days is twice the longest incubation period of the virus and if no new case is recorded in that period, Kenya will be declared free of Ebola on 23rd December 2026,” Duale said.

The announcement marks a major milestone in the country's response to the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak, which began after a Kenyan national who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda died from the disease on October 6.

Duale said the last patient under treatment had been discharged healthy and free of the virus, while the final 11 contacts had completed their monitoring and returned home.

“For the first time since this outbreak began, Kenya has no patient under treatment and no contact in quarantine,” he said.

Kenya recorded nine confirmed cases during the outbreak, resulting in seven recoveries and two deaths. The last confirmed case was reported on October 19, with no new infections recorded since then.

All eight people who subsequently tested positive were already in quarantine when they developed the disease. They comprised four family members of the initial patient and four healthcare workers who had attended to him before Ebola was suspected.

Duale credited the early identification and isolation of contacts with preventing further transmission in the community, while Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth said the containment of infections within the cluster demonstrated the importance of contact tracing, isolation and follow-up.

However, the discharge of the last patient does not mean the country can relax its guard. Health authorities say the risk of imported infections remains, particularly as the outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo continues.

The Ministry of Health will therefore maintain heightened surveillance throughout the 42-day countdown, with rapid response teams remaining on alert in every county. Screening at all points of entry, investigations into suspected cases and active surveillance in health facilities and communities will also continue.

Amoth said surveillance would extend beyond airports and designated border crossings to communities, warning that future infections could enter through unofficial routes.

“We are taking the battle to the community, because the next case may not be somebody who will be able to fly in. It could be somebody who is going to pass through a non-designated point of entry or the porous borders,” Amoth said.

He said simulation exercises would continue at airports and border points, adding that health authorities would not lower their guard before the countdown period ends.

“Until the 23rd of December, it is business as usual. Nothing stops. Everything continues. The alertness, we are not going to lower our guard, not for a single second, not for a day,” he said.

The Ministry will also issue an advisory for Kenyans returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo and other Ebola-affected areas. The proposed measures will include a health declaration through the UHAI Chatbot before travel, screening upon arrival and 21 days of quarantine with follow-up by health teams.

Duale urged returning travellers to comply with the guidance once issued, saying the risk of imported infections remained real as the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continued.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also cautioned against relaxing surveillance despite the discharge of the last patient.

Speaking on behalf of WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi, Dr Diallo commended Kenya for its transparency, timely reporting and coordination during the outbreak.

He said the country's response had demonstrated the importance of early detection, rapid isolation, contact tracing and infection prevention measures in containing Ebola.

“Again, early detection and rapid response save lives. Strong coordination and information sharing are critical. Community trust and engagement are essential for outbreak control,” he said.

To strengthen preparedness for future public health emergencies, the Ministry will undertake an intra-action review during the countdown period to assess what worked, identify gaps and improve its response. A comprehensive after-action review will follow once the outbreak is officially declared over.