Kenya Confirms Second Ebola Death

A 65-year-old woman who was a direct contact and close family member of Kenya’s first Ebola patient died the evening of Oct. 23, 2026, the Health Ministry said. She developed symptoms on Oct. 13 while under quarantine and was admitted the same day to an infectious disease unit in Nairobi. The ministry said its teams “did everything possible to save her life” with supportive care. Her family was notified, and the ministry planned burial arrangements in consultation with relatives. Kenya has nine confirmed cases including two deaths, with seven patients still in treatment at two isolation facilities. About 135 contacts were identified; eight tested positive in quarantine, including four health workers and four close family members. The ministry reported no new infections Friday and no evidence of community spread. Contacts who completed the 21-day quarantine without symptoms were set to begin release Saturday, Oct. 24. The first case was a 40-year-old man living in the DRC who arrived via Uganda on Oct. 3, tested positive Oct. 5, and died that day. The strain is Bundibugyo. The DRC outbreak has caused at least 4,000 deaths since May.