Laikipia Health County Executive Committee Member Albert Wagura addressing journalists at the Nanyuki county referral hospital on October 13, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERALaikipia residents have been urged to remain calm after two patients suspected of having Ebola tested negative, easing fears of a possible outbreak in the county.
Health authorities are continuing surveillance and public awareness campaigns.
County Health Executive Albert Wagura said neither patient had tested positive for the disease.
He urged residents to remain vigilant without allowing fear to disrupt their daily activities.
“Both patients had symptoms that appeared similar to those of Ebola, but that does not mean they had the disease,” Wagura said.
One patient was treated at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, while the other was admitted to a private hospital.
Samples from both patients were taken to Nairobi for testing, with the results received in less than 24 hours.
Wagura said the results had eased concerns but urged residents to continue observing preventive measures and seek professional medical assistance if they suspected an infectious disease.
The cases have renewed focus on the county’s preparedness, particularly following concerns about Ebola and controversy surrounding a proposed quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base earlier this year.
On October 6, the government confirmed an imported Ebola case involving a patient who later died in Nairobi.
According to the information provided, no secondary infections had been detected.
The Ministry of Health said it had conducted 293 tests on samples collected across the country, with no additional cases identified.
Contacts of the deceased patient remained under monitoring.
Surveillance had also been intensified at 26 border points and airports, while a network of five laboratories, including mobile facilities at border points, was handling testing.
The facilities could deliver diagnostic results within six to 12 hours.
Wagura said the county had been conducting public awareness campaigns over the previous two months, targeting healthcare workers, community health promoters and residents.
“We have been sensitising health workers and community health promoters who serve households, as well as members of the public. We will continue with the awareness campaigns to help prevent the spread of diseases,” he said.
He urged residents to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with suspected cases and promptly notify health facilities or medical officers when they encountered someone who might be infected.
Wagura cautioned against attempting to handle suspected cases without professional guidance.
He said qualified health personnel should assess patients and determine the appropriate precautions.
He also urged residents to avoid spreading unverified information that could cause unnecessary panic, stressing the importance of relying on official medical guidance.
The county’s latest assurance comes against the backdrop of controversy over a proposed United States-backed Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base.
The High Court ordered the suspension of the project on May 28, 2026, with the orders confirmed on June 2.
The proposal sparked protests in Nanyuki, with demonstrations turning violent on June 1 and leaving one person dead and two others injured, according to media reports.
On June 22, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale was found in contempt of court over continued construction despite the suspension orders.
The following day, he apologised to the court and said he had ordered an immediate halt to construction and related activities pending the determination of the case.
The judge discharged him with a warning against further disobedience. The facility came under renewed scrutiny in July after reports that seven American humanitarian workers returning from an Ebola response mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo were quarantining in Kenya.
Their employer and a US official confirmed the quarantine, although its location was not independently established in all reports.
On October 7, the US said the workers had completed their 21-day quarantine and that no patients were then at the Laikipia facility.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Two negative Ebola tests have eased immediate fears in Laikipia, but the cases highlight the importance of effective disease surveillance, timely testing and public communication. The county’s preparedness efforts come amid controversy over a proposed quarantine facility that sparked protests and legal battles. As Kenya monitors its imported Ebola case, authorities must balance public reassurance with vigilance, ensuring suspected infections are handled professionally and residents receive accurate information without unnecessary alarm.
