Kenya has intensified its Ebola preparedness measures, strengthening border surveillance, training thousands of healthcare workers and activating a nationwide network of isolation facilities as East African countries move to contain a growing outbreak that has already claimed lives in the region.
The heightened alert comes as the East African Community (EAC) convenes an emergency ministerial meeting to coordinate a regional response to the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Kenyan health authorities say their response is guided by international health regulations and lessons learned from previous outbreaks in the region.
Speaking amid rising public concern, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga emphasized that the government is taking proactive measures to protect the country from the threat posed by the highly infectious disease. He noted that Ebola remains a regional concern due to extensive cross-border movement and warned that the virus does not recognize national boundaries.
The Ministry of Health has placed the country on heightened alert, particularly for travellers arriving from Uganda and the DRC, where authorities continue to monitor the spread of the disease. According to EAC data, the current outbreak, declared on May 15 but believed to have been circulating for months, has resulted in 121 confirmed cases and 17 deaths in the DRC. Uganda has recorded seven confirmed cases, including one fatality, with the initial infections linked to travellers from the DRC.
The outbreak is concentrated in the eastern DRC provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, areas known for frequent cross-border movement, raising fears of wider regional transmission. In response, Kenya has intensified screening at all 26 official points of entry and activated surveillance systems that include contact tracing, public reporting mechanisms and rapid response teams.
Health officials are urging members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report anyone who develops Ebola-related symptoms after travelling from affected regions. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, body weakness and diarrhoea, while severe infections can result in internal and external bleeding.
Dr. Oluga revealed that more than 2,200 healthcare workers have been trained in Ebola detection and management, including 800 personnel prepared during the current period of heightened surveillance. He noted that Kenya has built its outbreak response capacity over many years, with health professionals receiving training both locally and in countries previously affected by Ebola.
To strengthen emergency response efforts, the government has designated the toll-free number 719 for reporting suspected Ebola cases. The country also has approximately 23 isolation facilities strategically located across referral hospitals and border counties considered vulnerable to imported infections.
Among the key facilities are specialised infectious disease units at Kenyatta National Hospital and Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, alongside operational isolation centres in Busia, Turkana, Kisumu, Migori and other high-risk areas. These facilities are equipped with advanced infection-control systems, including specialised ventilation and air-handling technology designed to safely manage highly infectious diseases.
Preparedness efforts have also included the deployment of dedicated ambulance services for the safe transport of patients and the stockpiling of personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers.
Kenya's laboratory capacity has emerged as one of its strongest defences against the outbreak. The country now boasts more than 100 laboratories capable of conducting Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, considered the gold standard for Ebola diagnosis. Institutions such as the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) can also perform advanced genomic sequencing to identify specific Ebola strains, positioning Kenya as a regional hub for disease surveillance.
As Kenya strengthens its domestic response, regional authorities are also enhancing cross-border preparedness. The EAC Secretariat has activated emergency response mechanisms, including the deployment of nine mobile laboratories to strategic border points and other high-risk locations. One of the mobile laboratories will be stationed at the Busia border crossing between Kenya and Uganda to facilitate rapid testing and surveillance.
The regional bloc is also preparing to deploy more than 180 emergency response experts while distributing protective equipment to frontline health workers in affected countries. EAC Secretary-General Stephen Mbundi said the organisation is working closely with partner states, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization to strengthen surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention, risk communication and rapid response systems across the region.
Despite the growing threat, Dr. Oluga expressed confidence in Kenya's preparedness, while stressing that vigilance remains essential. He noted that preparedness is an ongoing process and called on all citizens to play their part in protecting the country from the potential spread of Ebola.