Ebola spreads to new health zone in eastern DRC as Kenya confirms fatal imported case

Ebola has spread to a new health zone in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of the disease, according to the latest World Health Organization update. The developments point to continuing pressure on public health systems in the region and renewed concern about cross-border transmission. The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus.

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The WHO said in an October 8 update that Alimbongo health zone in North Kivu province had reported Ebola cases for the first time. As of October 6, four confirmed cases, including two deaths, had been recorded there. The agency also said the outbreak had been reported in 64 health zones across seven provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ituri remained the worst-affected province in cumulative cases, while North Kivu was accounting for a growing share of newly confirmed infections. The WHO said Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease on October 6. The patient was a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they fell ill and received treatment at several health facilities before travelling to Kenya via Uganda.

The patient travelled by road to Kampala and then flew to Nairobi, arriving on October 3. They were isolated in hospital and tested positive for the virus, but died on October 5 despite supportive treatment. Kenyan authorities identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, and the WHO said efforts were under way to trace passengers and crew members from the flight to Nairobi.

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Public health measures have also been initiated in Kenya and Uganda, including contact tracing and enhanced surveillance. A suspected Ebola case in Kenya's Wajir County later tested negative on October 8, easing concern about a possible second infection, although monitoring continued. The latest figures underline the scale of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the WHO said there had been 8,728 confirmed cases and 4,205 confirmed deaths as of October 6.

Another 2,269 people had recovered, and the crude case fatality ratio stood at 48.2 percent. The spread into a new health zone in North Kivu suggests the outbreak remains geographically active, even as health officials try to limit transmission. The imported case in Kenya also highlights the challenge of tracking infections across borders in a region with frequent movement between neighbouring countries.

The fact that the patient had travelled through Uganda before reaching Nairobi shows how quickly a case can move beyond the original outbreak area. What remains unclear is whether any of the identified contacts will test positive, and whether further cases will emerge in Kenya or Uganda. Health authorities are expected to continue tracing contacts and monitoring exposed people for symptoms in the coming days.

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