CS Duale: Kenya will be free from Ebola in 42 days

According to the Health CS, Kenya has made the appropriate moves to contain the deadly virus since the first patient was detected upon entering Kenya on October 3 2026, from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said that regular testing and a swift tracing of contacts linked to the patient zero have aided in providing positive projections to the end of the virus.

"We have traced everybody in the shortest time possible and are tested every 48 hours. We have contained and I am sure the next time Kenya will be free of Ebola is when we reach 42 days. It is not Kenyan timeline, it is a global timeline decided by WHO," he said on Citizen TV's Sunday Live show.

CS Duale added that 551 people have been tested in the last 48 hours and have all tested negative.

He added that of those quarantined, a good number of them might be released if they test negative, having served the required period to detect the presence of the virus.

"The global standard for contact tracing is 85%, we have done 100%, we have traced everybody, put them under quarantine. About 21 of them will be tested and if they test negative they will be free to go home," Duale noted.

Two Kenyans have died from the deadly virus, including the imported case of a 45 year old man and a 65-year-old woman who succumbed on October 23.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has maintained that all confirmed cases remain within a single cluster of known contacts, adding that there was no evidence of community transmission.

Kenyans have been urged to maintain precautionary measures, including avoiding contact with the blood and body fluids of sick people and refraining from touching or handling the bodies of people who die from suspected illnesses.

Members of the public were also advised to wash their hands regularly with soap and water and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms associated with Ebola.

These include fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding.