Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the case on Tuesday, October 6, saying the patient had travelled through Uganda before entering Kenya.
Patient Had Lived in DRC for Seven Years
According to Duale, the patient had been living in the DRC for about seven years before becoming ill roughly one month ago.
He was reportedly treated at several health facilities in the DRC before beginning his journey back to Kenya by road through Uganda.
The patient later boarded a Jumbo Jet flight carrying 23 passengers before arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday, October 3.
The aircraft reportedly landed at JKIA at 1:10pm, raising questions over the identification and monitoring of passengers who may have been exposed.
Kenya Had Prepared for Ebola Threat
The confirmation comes after months of heightened preparedness by Kenyan health authorities because of the regional Ebola outbreak.
The Ministry of Health had previously strengthened screening at airports and border crossings, expanded laboratory capacity and established isolation facilities as part of efforts to prevent cross-border transmission.
The Bundibugyo virus has been circulating in the DRC, where WHO recently reported thousands of confirmed cases and deaths across several provinces.
WHO says the virus can spread through direct contact with blood, bodily fluids or contaminated materials, particularly after symptoms develop.
