Update: Kenya Records Sixth Ebola Recovery and 18 Days Without a New Case
Only one patient remains in treatment. The 42-day countdown to an Ebola-free declaration starts when that patient leaves the treatment centre free of the virus.
See where this is ›NAIROBI, Kenya —
A sixth Ebola patient in Kenya has tested negative and is being discharged, leaving one patient still under treatment, Health Director-General Dr. Patrick Amoth said in a statement Nov. 6, Citizen Digital and Kenyans.co.ke reported. The statement marked Day 32 of the country's outbreak response.
“No new case has been recorded for eighteen (18) days, since 19th October 2026,” Amoth said, according to Citizen Digital. Confirmed cases remain at nine, all from one known chain of transmission, and Kenyans.co.ke reported there has been no community spread. Kenyans.co.ke said two people have died since Kenya confirmed its first imported case on Oct. 6. It identified the virus as the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
See where this is ›Sixty-six contacts have finished their 21-day monitoring and gone home, and 52 more are expected to complete quarantine by Nov. 11. More than 760,000 travelers have been screened at 26 points of entry.
The 42-day countdown to declaring Kenya free of Ebola has not begun. “When the last patient leaves the treatment centre free of the virus, Kenya will begin a 42-day countdown,” Amoth said, as quoted by Citizen Digital.
The ministry asks the public to report suspected cases on the toll-free line 719, by dialing *719#, or by WhatsApp at 0700 719 719.
What we don't know yet: The two outlets differ on travel. Citizen Digital reported the ministry's position that Kenya remains open, with no limits on travel, trade or public gatherings. Kenyans.co.ke reported that several countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, are still said to be keeping travel bans in place. The reports did not say when the last patient is expected to be discharged.
