UNICEF Kenya Humanitarian Flash Update No. 1 (Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease), 20 October 2026

Please refer to the attached file. Highlights As of 20 October 2026, Kenya reported nine confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases, including one death. The additional eight cases are identified as close contacts and health workers linked to the first case, having tested positive while in quarantine and are receiving care Of the eight confirmed cases, three are healthcare workers, one is a cleaner, and the remaining four are household/family contacts of the index case. Of 135 contacts listed, 134 are in quarantine. Follow-up was reported for all quarantined contacts; tracing continues for the 1 untraced contacts. UNICEF is supporting the Government-led response, building on risk communication, community engagement and frontline preparedness activities. A six-month US$9, 469, 500 million response package is proposed to strengthen RCCE, surveillance, IPC/WASH, PPE and logistics. Situation Overview Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease on 5 October 2026 following travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Uganda. The patient died on 5 October. A second confirmed case, a 39-year-old close contact, developed symptoms on 13 October while in quarantine and subsequently tested positive. As of 19 October, the Ministry of Health reported eight confirmed cases and one death. Contact tracing and surveillance remain central to interrupting further transmission. The national situation report records 130 listed contacts, including 128 (98. 5%) in quarantine and 2 not in quarantine. This is above the global contact tracing benchmark of 85% required to break the chain of transmission of the disease. Intensive efforts are ongoing to trace and quarantine the two remaining contacts. Kenya has activated national and Nairobi County public health emergency operations centres, incident management arrangements and county readiness measures. Screening is taking place at 26 points of entry. Risk communication efforts are addressing public questions about transmission, symptoms, quarantine and reported cases.

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