Saudi Arabia Tightens Ebola Travel Restrictions on Kenya as Nairobi Defends Outbreak Response

Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale said Kenya's response remained effective, with no evidence of community transmission and no new confirmed cases reported since October 19, 2026. The outbreak began with an imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease involving a Kenyan national who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years.  The patient died in Nairobi, prompting health authorities to intensify surveillance and containment efforts. Duale said health authorities had successfully identified and traced all 135 contacts associated with the index case, with 118 placed under quarantine. All eight confirmed cases were epidemiologically linked to the initial case, involving four healthcare workers and four close family members. No transmission had been detected beyond the identified cluster. Saudi Arabia's latest measures include suspending travel by its citizens to Kenya, halting visa issuance for individuals arriving from the country and barring entry to travelers who have stayed in Kenya or any other country experiencing an active Ebola outbreak within the 21 days preceding their arrival. According to Saudi health authorities, the restrictions are based on epidemiological risk assessments and form part of broader efforts to protect citizens, residents and visitors from potential exposure to the virus. The measures also include suspending the issuance of visas to individuals arriving from Kenya, as authorities strengthen preventive protocols targeting travelers from countries considered high-risk. In June 2026, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, while intensifying health surveillance and screening at entry points for travelers arriving from neighboring regions. Kenya has described the latest restrictions as excessive and called for international cooperation and support rather than isolation, maintaining that its containment measures are effectively limiting the spread of the disease.