The stricter controls come days after Kenya confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease involving a 40-year-old Kenyan man who later died.
Kenya has introduced stricter screening measures at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), requiring travellers arriving from 10 African countries considered at higher risk of Ebola to use a designated gate.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the new measures were part of efforts to strengthen surveillance at the country’s main international entry point following Kenya’s first confirmed Ebola case.
Travellers From 10 Countries Affected
Travellers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Angola, the Central African Republic, Zambia, and Tanzania will now be directed to Gate 16 for enhanced screening.
Muthoni announced the measures on Wednesday after inspecting preparedness at JKIA, where health officials are stepping up surveillance of incoming travellers.
“Gate 16 will now serve passengers arriving from these 10 countries, with enhanced screening measures in place to ensure that anyone who may have been exposed is identified early,” Muthoni said.
New Health Declaration Forms
The new measures go beyond screening passengers on arrival. The government has also introduced health declaration forms for travellers leaving Kenya, in addition to the forms passengers already complete when entering the country.
Travellers arriving in Kenya will be required to provide information about their current health status and disclose any treatment or medication they have received during the previous month.
Muthoni said the information would help health authorities identify people who may have been unwell before travelling and allow them to determine whether further assessment is necessary.
The Case That Triggered the Response
The tighter controls come days after Kenya confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease involving a 40-year-old Kenyan man who later died.
The patient had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for seven years and became ill about a month before travelling. He received treatment at several health facilities in the DRC before travelling by road to Kampala, Uganda.
He later flew to Nairobi on October 3 on Jambojet and passed through routine health screening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
After developing worsening symptoms, he was taken to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated and tested. His symptoms included fever, chills, severe fatigue, muscle pain, sore throat, painful swallowing, and bleeding under the skin at injection sites.
Laboratory tests at the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute confirmed Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease. The patient died at about 11:30 pm on October 5.
Questions Over Airport Screening
The case has raised questions about the ability of routine airport screening to identify infected travellers, particularly when symptoms are not yet obvious.
Health authorities have since intensified surveillance at points of entry while tracing people who may have come into contact with the patient.
More than 52,000 travellers had been screened, and 267 samples had been tested by October 6 as part of Kenya’s response. The government has also trained 4,971 healthcare workers on Ebola prevention and management.
The new measures at JKIA are aimed at strengthening early detection among travellers from countries where health authorities consider the risk of Ebola transmission to be higher.
Africa CDC Welcomes Response
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has welcomed Kenya’s response and called for swift action to prevent further transmission.
“Early detection, strong surveillance, and rapid response remain critical to preventing further spread of Ebola,” Africa CDC said.
Public Health Advice
Health authorities have also urged travellers and members of the public to maintain good hand hygiene and reduce unnecessary physical contact, including handshakes and hugs, as a precaution.
People who develop symptoms after possible exposure have been advised to seek medical attention promptly and disclose their travel and exposure history to healthcare workers.
Officials have stressed that Ebola is not spread through ordinary casual contact. The virus is mainly transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died, or through contaminated materials.
The government has urged the public to remain calm, follow official health advice, and avoid spreading unverified information as Kenya strengthens its response to the first confirmed case.
The additional controls at JKIA are expected to remain an important part of the country’s wider surveillance strategy as health authorities work to prevent the virus from spreading beyond the initial case.
