Ann Koome
The Ministry of Health has officially discharged Kenya’s first five recovered Ebola patients from isolation, marking a monumental milestone in the country’s containment efforts
The five male patients were given a clean bill of health after testing negative for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. They had been receiving specialized, round-the-clock medical care split between Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and The Nairobi Hospital .
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed that two patients remain under active treatment in stable condition and will be discharged once they meet identical viral-clearance criteria.
In a simultaneous victory for frontline surveillance teams, 46 close contacts successfully completed their mandatory 21-day quarantine period and were released back to their families.
The Ministry confirmed that a flawless 100% contact tracing rate was achieved. Health officials successfully tracked down all 135 individuals who had interacted with the primary cluster—including one contact who had traveled out of the country to Mogadishu. Currently, only 52 contacts remain under active observation and are expected to clear quarantine by November 11.
Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth revealed that Kenya has not recorded a single new community transmission since October 19 The total outbreak statistics stand at nine confirmed cases and two fatalities, placing the case fatality rate at 22.2%. Because all cases originated from a single, tightly controlled cluster, health authorities maintain that the virus has been effectively contained from spreading into the wider public.
Despite the clear domestic containment success, the outbreak has triggered international friction. CS Duale strongly criticized unilateral travel restrictions imposed on Kenya by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
The government is aggressively lobbying both nations through the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC to lift the bans immediately, arguing that Kenya’s rapid containment and strict border screenings prove that travel blockades are scientifically unjustified.
In the interim, the Ministry has issued mandatory workplace safety guidelines nationwide . Under the Public Health Rules 2026, all employers are now legally required to maintain sanitization stations and enforce strict hygiene protocols on their premises.
