The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Kenya following the confirmation of the country’s first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.
The warning issued October 7, comes as the government steps up surveillance and containment measures after the Ministry of Health confirmed the case on October 6.
The patient, a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), travelled by road to Kampala before flying to Nairobi on October 3.
He was taken to hospital, isolated and later tested positive for Bundibugyo Ebola.
He has since died and buried.
The Ministry has identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who attended to the patient, while tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight.
Quarantine arrangements are underway for people considered to have been at risk.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said 57 contacts have been traced following the confirmed case, with 10 currently in quarantine.
In its advice, the UK government has urged travellers to follow guidance from Kenyan health authorities and check health requirements before travelling.
“On 6 October 2026, the Kenyan Ministry of Health confirmed its first imported case of Ebola. The government is continuing to implement public health measures in response, including contact tracing, surveillance, and border screening, as well as quarantine arrangements for individuals deemed at risk. Follow the advice of local authorities and monitor updates from the Kenyan ministry of health,” the notice reads.
It notes that travellers arriving in Kenya, particularly those coming from Uganda, Ethiopia and the DRC, may face enhanced health screening because of the regional Ebola situation.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Kenya notified it of the imported case on October 6 in line with the International Health Regulations.
Kenya is the fourth country to confirm a case linked to the current Bundibugyo Ebola situation in the region.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has urged Kenyans not to panic, saying systems are in place to respond to the disease.
The Ministry is encouraging frequent handwashing, use of alcohol-based hand rubs and avoidance of close contact with sick people arriving from countries reporting active Ebola transmission.
The government has also urged anyone who develops symptoms after potential exposure to seek care at a recognised health facility and to rely on official Ministry of Health updates.
The FCDO has separately warned against all travel to specified parts of Kenya, including Mandera, parts of Wajir and Garissa, and most of Lamu County, but these warnings are primarily linked to security risks rather than the Ebola outbreak.
It also advises against all but essential travel to some other areas.
