Kenya discharges last Ebola patient as Congo outbreak tops 11,000 cases
Kenya’s health ministry reports the final Ebola patient has left a Nairobi hospital, triggering a 42‑day countdown that ends on 23 Dec, after which the country could be declared Ebola‑free if no new cases emerge. All 135 contacts linked to the index case have been traced and are under monitoring, and the nine confirmed Kenyan cases remain confined to a single transmission cluster with no community spread. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo records 11,042 confirmed infections and 5,387 deaths, the deadliest outbreak in its history, as the World Health Organization launches a human trial of the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain.
Key facts
- Saudi Arabia suspended Kenyan visas on 30 Oct, affecting hundreds of workers traveling to the Gulf.
- A health centre in Lolwa, Ituri province, was set on fire by youths, disrupting care.
- Clashes between local militia temporarily halted the health response in Fataki.
- The Bundibugyo virus causing the Congo outbreak has no approved vaccine, though trials are ongoing.
- Armed conflict, poor roads and community mistrust hinder the Ebola response in Congo.
Summarised with AI from 5 sources · Updated 10:41Read our AI policy
Why it matters
Kenya’s clearance could lift travel bans, while Congo’s surge tests regional health capacity.
What changed
Summary updated
Summary updated
First published from Daily Maverick, DR Nyheder, Al Jazeera English, allAfrica and Premium Times