Kenya Confirms Third Ebola Case, Directly Linked to First Fatality

Kenya has reported its third case of the Bundibugyo virus disease, a strain of Ebola responsible for thousands of deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This latest case emerges just 10 days after the nation recorded its first infection and subsequent death in Nairobi. The new patient, a 65-year-old woman, is identified as a primary contact and close relative of the initial two cases, according to a statement from Kenya’s Health Ministry on Friday. She has been under quarantine since October 6.

The Health Ministry detailed that the patient developed symptoms including fever, sore throat, and malaise, prompting her isolation and testing. She subsequently tested positive for Ebola. "She was diagnosed early and is currently receiving supportive care improving her chances of recovery," the ministry stated.

Kenya's current cases are connected to the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the DRC, which ranks as the second-largest globally with over 9,000 cases and more than 4,300 fatalities since its official detection in May. The first case in Kenya involved a Kenyan man who had been ill in the DRC for about a month before traveling by road to Uganda. He then flew to Nairobi on October 3, where a relative took him to the hospital. He passed away on October 5.

In its communication via X, the Health Ministry sought to reassure the public, emphasizing that there is no evidence of community spread and that the risk to the general Kenyan population remains low. Of the 130 contacts identified, 127 have been traced and are currently in quarantine.

Efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak are complicated by the fact that the Bundibugyo strain lacks a licensed vaccine. Research is ongoing to develop vaccines effective against this strain, with some candidates already in the early stages of human trials.

The reporting of the new case in Kenya coincides with calls from Africa’s leading public health body and Congolese health authorities for increased transparency in the management of Ebola response funds. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) noted that financial information from aid organizations suggests over $700 million in donor funds are unaccounted for.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, informed Reuters that international donors disbursed approximately $962 million to organizations involved in Ebola response activities in the DRC, rather than directly to the government. Kaseya stated that these organizations reported receiving $228 million, with $127 million spent and about $100 million remaining. However, he cautioned that it is premature to suggest embezzlement.

Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba issued a warning on X, stating that aid groups must provide funding source details to his ministry or risk being banned from operating in the DRC and blacklisted across Africa.

Meanwhile, reports from the DRC indicate that Ebola cases have been identified in a new province bordering the Central African Republic. Two health officials confirmed the cases in North Ubangi, marking it as the eighth Congolese province affected by the Bundibugyo outbreak. Congolese authorities have not yet officially confirmed this expansion.