Kenya discharges last Ebola patient as regional travel restrictions remain

Kenya has discharged its final Ebola patient, beginning a 42-day countdown towards being declared free of the virus, as authorities maintain heightened surveillance at airports and border crossings.

The country recorded its first Ebola case in October following the arrival of a traveller infected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where an ongoing outbreak has killed more than 5,300 people.

Seven patients have since recovered in Kenya, while 135 identified contacts have completed their monitoring periods, according to Health Minister Aden Duale.

Kenya has reported no new confirmed cases since 20 October, although authorities will continue screening travellers arriving from affected countries.

Travellers returning to Kenya from Ebola-affected areas are required to complete electronic health declarations, undergo screening on arrival, and spend 21 days in supervised quarantine.

The outbreak has also prompted international travel restrictions, with Saudi Arabia suspending visa issuance to Kenyan nationals in late October.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has begun easing restrictions affecting travellers from Uganda, although Ugandan nationals must spend at least 21 days outside their home country before entering the UAE, with exemptions for certain categories.

The United States has also introduced a mandatory Ebola-related declaration for passengers boarding flights to the country from overseas.

DRC outbreak surpasses 11,000 cases

The wider Ebola outbreak in the DRC has now surpassed 11,000 infections, with 5,387 deaths recorded since May, according to figures released by the country’s Health Ministry on Wednesday (11 November).

The outbreak, the deadliest recorded in the DRC, has spread to eight provinces, with containment efforts complicated by armed conflict, poor infrastructure, and attacks on healthcare workers.

The regional spread of the virus continues to present challenges for international medical assistance providers, particularly around infectious disease protocols, cross-border patient transport, and access to specialist healthcare.