Kenya’s confirmed Ebola cases have risen to eight after the Ministry of Health announced a new infection on Sunday.
Director General for Health in the Ministry of Health, Patrick Amoth, said the new case was confirmed on Sunday, October 18, when the ministry tested 38 people.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Amoth said the patient is a 49-year-old man who worked as a patient attendant at Nairobi Hospital and reportedly came into contact with the first patient.
The patient, who is not a direct healthcare worker, according to the Director General, developed symptoms of fever, headache, and muscle pain, and his test came out positive.
Red Cross Society workers wearing personal protective equipment gathered after handling the coffin of a man who died of Ebola.
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CNBC Africa
"The cases have increased by one additional case. Today we tested 38 persons; one turned positive. Not a direct healthcare worker, a patient attendant, a 49-year-old gentleman who developed symptoms of fever, high temperature, headache, and muscle pain, was tested today, and his test became positive.
The ministry also confirmed that the patient has since been isolated and will soon start getting compassionate treatment.
"He is now isolated and we are preparing to be able to start compassionate treatment that we have administered to all the seven other persons," he added.
The positive patient is among those who have been placed in quarantine after coming into contact with the first confirmed case, helping limit the risk of further transmission to the wider public.
Following the new case, the country has now recorded eight cases of the virus, with only one death recorded.
According to the Ministry, all the positive patients have received monoclonal antibodies to help fight the virus and are responding positively to the treatment, including a 65-year-old patient who is now stable.
Meanwhile, Kenya also received another shipment of medicine from Rwanda, with the shipment arriving on Sunday night.
"All of them, I can confirm categorically, have received monoclonal antibody, and today, at about 9 pm, there's a shipment of another medicine that has arrived from Rwanda, which we are also going to deploy. Those who have received the monoclonal antibody I'm glad, are responding very well," Amoth Said.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected or deceased person, not through the air. Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, unusual tiredness, muscle pain, vomiting, or diarrhoea should seek immediate medical attention or call the MoH toll-free line 719 for guidance.
Health CS Aden Duale observing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Rapid Response Team (RRT) Training of Trainers (ToT) programme in Nairobi, June 10, 2026.
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MoH