Ministry of Health suspends hotel meetings, seminars amid Ebola response measures

The directive comes in the wake of the confirmation of an imported case of the Bundibugyo virus disease (Ebola) in Kenya on October 6, 2026.

In an internal memo signed by Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni Muriuki, the State Department stated that it is prioritizing emergency preparedness, rigorous contact tracing, and immediate response measures to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.

"All Directorates, Divisions and Programmes are directed to operationalise established standard operating procedures for the prevention, preparedness and management of Ebola and other highly contagious infectious diseases," the memo reads.

With immediate effect, all official gatherings scheduled in hotels are suspended until further notice.

The ministry noted that any exceptions to this directive will require prior formal approval from the Principal Secretary's office.

Additionally, all heads of directorates, divisions, and programmes have been instructed to ensure strict compliance while maintaining the availability of technical officers to support ongoing emergency response operations.

The statement comes as Kenya steps up efforts to strengthen its capacity to respond to Ebola following the country’s first reported case, involving a patient who travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo and later died at Nairobi Hospital.

The government has been mobilising more than Ksh.70 billion for Ebola preparedness and response, including an initial Ksh.2.6 billion set aside by the National Treasury for emergency interventions.

The government is also expecting Ksh.21 billion in assistance from the United States and Ksh.51.8 billion in emergency financing from the World Bank through its Rapid Response Option.

The funds are intended to strengthen disease surveillance, improve early detection, train community health workers and procure essential medical supplies.

Meanwhile, the proposed operationalisation of a US-funded bio-isolation facility at Laikipia Air Base has faced legal challenges, with the courts suspending its establishment following public concerns about the potential risks.