Kenya has discharged the last Ebola patient in the country—the seventh person to recover from the virus—marking a major milestone in efforts to contain the disease in the East African country, which is now beginning a 42-day countdown before officially declaring itself Ebola-free. UNN reports this, citing the BBC.
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The first case of Ebola was confirmed in early October, when a Kenyan businessman died within days of arriving in the capital, Nairobi.
He contracted the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 5,000 people died during an outbreak that began in May. His mother also later died.
Kenya's health minister said that 135 identified contacts of infected patients had also completed 21 days in isolation.
"Today, with the discharge of the last patient, we can confirm and inform the world that seven patients have recovered, and all contacts have completed follow-up," Aden Duale said.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) called it a significant achievement in the regional response to the outbreak.
"This is an encouraging moment for Kenya and for Africa. We must maintain surveillance and vigilance until the outbreak is officially declared over," Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya wrote on X.
Kenya has not reported any new confirmed cases since October 20.
All cases in Kenya were linked to a man who traveled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo through Uganda, while health officials reported no evidence of transmission of the virus in the wider community.
Among those who recovered after treatment were four healthcare workers.
Uganda, which shares a long border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was among the first affected countries, but on August 27 it declared its Ebola outbreak over.
The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola strain, which is relatively rare and for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, although trials are still underway.
Kenya confirms eighth Ebola case as outbreak spreads in Congo10/19/26, 4:31 PM