- The US Embassy in Nairobi issued a notice to American travellers about a health insurance requirement tied to Kenya's eTA process
- Kenya's Ministry of Health confirmed a third Ebola case involving a 65-year-old woman who had been in quarantine as a contact of earlier patients
- Of 130 listed contacts, 127 have been traced and quarantined, surpassing the 85% global benchmark needed to break chains of transmission
The United States Embassy in Nairobi has issued a formal advisory to American citizens planning to visit Kenya, outlining a compulsory health insurance requirement linked to the country's electronic travel authorisation (eTA) system.
According to the advisory, all tourists entering Kenya are required to purchase Kenyan health insurance as part of the eTA application process.
The requirement took effect on October 5. Travellers who already hold approved eTAs but have not yet obtained cover must do so before arriving in the country.
What the Insurance Rule Requires
Airlines have been instructed to verify passengers' insurance documentation prior to boarding.
"Travelers who arrive without insurance may not be granted entry," the embassy stated. The requirement does not apply to diplomats, crew members, Kenyan residents, or transit passengers.
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The embassy advised travellers to secure cover before departing their home countries, either through the eTA application portal or via Kenya's eCitizen insurance platform, and to retain a digital copy of the policy for presentation upon arrival.
Kenya's Third Ebola Case Confirmed
The advisory came as Kenya's Ministry of Health announced a third confirmed Ebola case.
The patient, a 65-year-old woman, had already been placed in quarantine as a primary contact of the two earlier confirmed patients.
She began showing symptoms on October 17 and subsequently tested positive at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
She has since been transferred to an Infectious Disease Unit, where she is receiving supportive care.
The Ministry noted that her early isolation reduced the likelihood of wider transmission and improved her prospects for recovery. Officials also confirmed that the second patient remains stable and is responding well to treatment.
Health authorities moved to reassure the public, pointing to the absence of community transmission and the progress made in contact tracing as evidence that the overall risk remains low.
Of 130 identified contacts, 127, representing 97.7%, have been traced and placed under quarantine, a figure the Ministry noted surpasses the 85% global benchmark considered necessary to interrupt transmission chains.
Three contacts have yet to be located, and search efforts are continuing.
The Ministry cautioned that further cases could still emerge among individuals already in quarantine before their monitoring periods conclude, and said any such cases would be managed swiftly.
To bolster preparedness, the Ministry has distributed protective equipment, infection prevention supplies, and screening tools to all 28 counties classified as high-risk, as well as to points of entry across the country.
Travellers arriving from 10 high-risk countries now face enhanced screening measures, which include completing a digital surveillance form before departure and presenting a QR code upon arrival in Kenya.
Source: TUKO.co.ke