The Ministry of Health has criticised measures taken by Saudi Arabia in response to Kenya's Ebola outbreak, describing them as excessive and unsupported by the country's current epidemiological situation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 31, 2026, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said Kenya had contained the outbreak within a single cluster, with no evidence of community transmission.
Duale said all 135 contacts linked to the index case had been identified and traced, representing 100 per cent of the contacts associated with the case. Of these, 118 had been placed under quarantine as part of the containment measures.
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According to the Ministry of Health, all eight confirmed cases were linked to the initial patient and involved four healthcare workers and four close family members.
Kenya has not reported a new Ebola case since October 19, 2026, with the government maintaining that the disease has not spread beyond the identified cluster.
The ministry reported two deaths, including the index patient, while seven other patients remained under medical care.
Duale disclosed that five of the seven patients had returned their first negative Ebola test results after completing treatment. They were awaiting a second test scheduled for Monday, November 2.
The government expressed optimism that the five patients would be discharged on Tuesday, November 3, alongside 46 additional contacts who remained under quarantine but had not developed symptoms.
The 46 contacts were in addition to 20 others who had already completed quarantine and been released.
The Health CS said the developments demonstrated that Kenya's response measures were producing results, expressing confidence in further progress towards containing the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is expected to continue engaging Saudi Arabia over the measures imposed following the outbreak.
Duale called on the international community to support Kenya's response through cooperation rather than condemnation, travel restrictions or isolation.
He maintained that Kenya had demonstrated transparency in managing the outbreak and urged other countries to recognise the progress made in containing the disease.