Ebola: Kenya confirms second case and ten students die in Ituri

The Kenyan Ministry of Health confirmed a second case of Ebola on its territory on October 14, 2026: a 39-year-old man, a close relative of the first patient, who developed symptoms while already in quarantine. On the same day, education authorities in Ituri, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, announced the death of ten students. The virus is no longer confined to a single country.

A virus for which there is no vaccine

The Congolese outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of Ebola for which no vaccine or treatment is approved, reports Africanews. Figures from the Congolese Ministry of Health reported on October 16, 2026, show 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths. The WHO Africa office describes an epidemic that "continues to evolve," present in more than 65 health zones across eight provinces.

The most worrying signal comes from contact tracing: according to Africa CDC, more than 70% of new cases had not been identified as contacts of a known patient. The chain of transmission is therefore largely escaping response teams.

In Bunia, the epidemic enters schools

Education officials in Bunia, the capital of Ituri, have recorded 25 confirmed cases among students from several schools in the province. Ten have died, and seven were still receiving treatment at the time of the announcement. These infections occurred just over a month after the start of the school year. A provincial official has called on schools to strictly apply health guidelines.

A border that controls cannot close

In Kenya, the chain is documented: the first patient, a 40-year-old Kenyan who lived in the DRC, traveled to Uganda by road and then to Nairobi by plane. He died on October 5, 2026. Approximately 128 of his contacts have been identified and 108 placed in quarantine, according to Africanews. The ministry states there is "no evidence" of community spread and maintains freedom of movement and trade.

At the Busia border crossing with Uganda, travelers wash their hands and have their temperatures checked. Traders and transporters interviewed by Africanews doubt these controls, which can be bypassed via informal paths. "We must ensure robust surveillance at points of entry," said Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.

Uganda, which declared its outbreak over after 20 cases linked to the DRC, had closed its Congolese border. The WHO opposes these closures, which it says push flows toward unmonitored crossings.