Ebola spreads in Congo while Kenya responds to fatal imported case

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to the Alimbongo health zone in North Kivu province, Al Jazeera reported. The World Health Organization stated in an update that Alimbongo recorded its first cases, with four confirmed infections and two deaths recorded as of October 6. Al Jazeera added that the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus species and has affected 64 health zones across seven provinces. [1]

The development comes as health officials in Kenya work to trace contacts following the country's first Ebola death in Nairobi, France 24 and RFI reported. RFI and the Africa CDC noted that the patient travelled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo through Uganda before dying in Kenya. Citizen Digital reported that the patient may have contracted the virus while seeking medical treatment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [2][3][5][6]

Kenyan authorities are racing to trace contacts of the deceased patient to avoid an outbreak, according to France 24 and RFI. Meanwhile, France 24 reported that recent tests for another suspected Ebola patient in hospital quarantine came back negative. [2][3]

The current epidemic began in the Ituri province in May 2026, which remains the worst affected region. By early August, the surge became the fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record and the second largest overall. Symptoms of Ebola virus disease include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, and fatigue, which typically appear within two to 21 days after exposure. [1][7][8]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Kenya confirmed its first ever Ebola death after a citizen living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo returned to Nairobi. Health officials had identified 28 contacts following that fatal case. [10]