Kenya reports second Ebola death, a close relative of first patient

Summary

Kenya's health ministry said late on Friday, October 23, that the country has recorded a second Ebola death: a 65-year-old woman who was a close relative of the first patient, a Kenyan man who had died of the disease. According to the Straits Times and Deutsche Welle, she developed symptoms while under quarantine in Nairobi. The South China Morning Post reported that she began showing symptoms 10 days earlier, received supportive care at an infectious disease unit in the capital, and died on Friday evening, and that her family had been notified. Hindustan Times reported that Kenya's case count had risen to nine and that she had been in quarantine after contact with the country's first confirmed case. The BBC reported that the first patient had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bloomberg reported that Uganda is restricting transit for anyone with a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in an effort to halt the spread of the disease.

Timeline

1. Straits Times

   23 Oct 2026, 20:01 UTCSource ↗

   The Straits Times reported that the health ministry announced late on Friday a second Ebola death, that of a 65-year-old woman who developed symptoms during quarantine and was a close relative of a Kenyan man who died of Ebola earlier this month.

2. Deutsche Welle

   23 Oct 2026, 21:09 UTCSource ↗

   Deutsche Welle reported that Kenyan health officials said the 65-year-old woman, a close relative of a man who died of Ebola, developed symptoms while under quarantine in Nairobi.

3. South China Morning Post

   23 Oct 2026, 21:19 UTCSource ↗

   The South China Morning Post reported that the health ministry said the woman began showing symptoms 10 days earlier, received supportive care at an infectious disease unit in Nairobi, died on Friday evening, and that her family had been notified.

4. Hindustan Times

   23 Oct 2026, 21:46 UTCSource ↗

   Hindustan Times reported that Kenya confirmed the second Ebola death as cases rose to nine, and that the 65-year-old woman had been in quarantine after coming into contact with Kenya's first confirmed case.

5. BBC

   24 Oct 2026, 00:05 UTCSource ↗

   The BBC reported that the woman, 65, became the second patient to die of Ebola in Kenya and was a close family member of the first victim, a man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

6. Bloomberg

   24 Oct 2026, 04:41 UTCSource ↗

   Bloomberg reported that Kenya has recorded a second Ebola death, that of a 65-year-old woman who was a close family member of the index case, while Uganda is restricting transit for anyone with a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.