The Ministry of Health has clarified that the suspension of meetings, conferences and seminars held in hotels applies only to staff of the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 10, the Ministry of Health said the measure was an internal administrative directive intended to ensure technical officers remained available to support ongoing emergency response operations following the confirmation of Kenya’s first imported Ebola case.
“The State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards wishes to clarify that the suspension of meetings, conferences and seminars held in hotels applies exclusively to staff of the State Department.
This internal administrative measure aims to ensure technical officers the available to support ongoing emergency response operations,” read part of the statement.
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According to the ministry, the measure would prioritize emergency preparedness, contact tracing and response activities aimed at containing the virus and preventing further transmission.
It added that the suspension would also facilitate the implementation of established Standard Operating Procedures for the prevention, preparedness and management of Ebola and other highly contagious infectious diseases.
Earlier reports indicated that the Ministry of Health had suspended all government seminars, conferences and meetings scheduled to be held in hotels following the confirmation of Kenya’s first imported Ebola case.
According to an internal memo dated October 7, 2026, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni directed heads of directorates, divisions and programmes to suspend all meetings, seminars and conferences scheduled to take place in hotels until further notice.
The directive followed confirmation of an imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a type of Ebola, in Kenya on October 6, 2026.
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Muthoni said the State Department was prioritizing emergency preparedness, contact tracing and response measures to contain the virus and prevent further transmission.
She also directed departments to implement established standard operating procedures for the prevention, preparedness and management of Ebola and other highly contagious infectious diseases.
“Accordingly, all meetings, seminars and conferences scheduled to be held in hotels are suspended with immediate effect from Wednesday, 7th October 2026, until further notice. Any exception shall require prior approval from this Office,” part of the Memo read.
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Muthoni has assured Kenyans that the country is not experiencing an active Ebola outbreak, following concerns sparked by the suspension of hotel-based meetings and conferences.
In a statement on Saturday, October 10, 2026, Muthoni said health authorities had handled one imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease. The patient died and was buried safely in line with established health protocols.
“Dear Kenyans, we do not have an active Ebola outbreak in Kenya. We recently managed a single imported case,” she said.
The Ministry has identified 57 people who had contact with the patient, including family members, flight crew, passengers and healthcare workers.
Of these, 10 high-risk individuals have been placed under quarantine at the National Police Service Hospital in Nairobi. All identified contacts are being monitored for 21 days, corresponding to the virus’s incubation period.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa CDC are currently supporting control efforts and evaluating the regional risk.
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