Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has announced that laboratory tests for a suspected Ebola case at Habaswein Sub-County Hospital returned negative.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Abdullahi said the patient was a 20-year-old man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda to Kenya.
“I wish to update the people of Wajir County, and the public at large, on the suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case that was reported at Habaswein Sub-County Hospital in Wajir South Sub-County.
The patient is a 20-year-old male with a travel history from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda to Kenya,” read part of the statement.
Wajir Governor Rules Out Ebola in Suspected Case
According to the governor, the patient was assessed by health workers following his clinical presentation and travel history, prompting the collection of samples for testing at the National Public Health Virology Laboratory in Nairobi.
The patient was assessed by health workers following his clinical presentation and travel history, prompting the collection of samples for testing at the National Public Health Virology Laboratory in Nairobi.
The governor said the preliminary laboratory results were negative for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), adding that the patient would continue to receive medical care as health officials monitored his condition.
Abdullahi commended health workers at Habaswein Sub-County Hospital, the Wajir County Department of Health and their national-level counterparts for their response to the suspected case.
He urged residents to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information, advising them to rely on official updates from the county government and the Ministry of Health.
The governor also encouraged residents who notice unusual signs of illness to report to the nearest health facility promptly.
Also Read: How Ebola Patient Evaded Detection While Travelling From DRC Through Kampala to Nairobi
Kenya On Closing Borders
The development comes after the Ministry of Health confirmed Kenya’s first imported case of Ebola involving the Bundibugyo strain in a 40-year-old Kenyan national who died at Nairobi Hospital.
The patient in the confirmed case also had travelled from the DRC through Uganda before arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on October 3, 2026.
However, Health CS Aden Duale has ruled out shutting Kenya’s borders following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case, saying the government will intensify screening and testing at entry points instead.
Also Read: 23 Hospitals Ready to Isolate Patients as Kenya Confirms First Ebola Case
The CS said Kenya would maintain open borders in line with its obligations as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that travellers would not be discriminated against at airports.
He warned that border closures could push people to use unofficial crossing points, complicating efforts to identify potentially infected travellers and monitor the spread of the disease.
The CS disclosed that 276 people had been tested for Ebola, including travellers flagged for showing symptoms at points of entry.
“We are members of the World Health Organization, we cannot close borders, we cannot discriminate on airports, and it’s the responsibility of governments to make sure in every point of entry there must be enough infrastructure to do the testing and the screening,” Duale said.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
