Kampala: Health officials are investigating a possible connection between Ebola cases in Kenya and Nigeria after the first confirmed patients in the two countries reportedly travelled through Entebbe International Airport in Uganda on October 3. The investigation comes as authorities across Africa work to contain an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease that began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention officials said investigators were examining whether the two patients had interacted at the Ugandan airport. However, no evidence has established that transmission occurred there. The source of the Nigerian patient's infection also remains unclear as health authorities examine her travel history and possible exposure to the virus.
Nigeria confirmed its first case of Bundibugyo virus disease on October 20. The patient is a woman who had travelled to Nigeria from Uganda. She developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical care at a private hospital in Abuja on October 11. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection nine days later.
Nigerian health authorities initially identified 44 close contacts who may have been exposed to the patient. Officials began contact tracing and strengthened infection prevention measures at the hospital to reduce the risk of further transmission. The identification of these contacts does not mean they have contracted the virus.
The woman was reported to be the wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja. The Swiss government said it believed she may have contracted the virus while travelling in Uganda. However, this assessment has not established the exact place or circumstances of her infection. Investigators are continuing to reconstruct her movements and identify possible sources of exposure.
The suspected encounter at Entebbe International Airport is one of the leads being examined. Sharing an airport does not establish that two people interacted or transmitted the virus to each other. Further epidemiological evidence is needed to determine whether the Kenyan and Nigerian cases are directly connected.
Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases, including one death, according to figures available on October 22. The country's first patient had travelled from the DRC through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi. The patient died on October 5, and the confirmed case was reported to the World Health Organization on October 6.
Subsequent infections in Kenya were linked to the initial imported case. The latest reported case, identified on October 20, involved a close family member who had been quarantined. Authorities have been tracing contacts and monitoring people who may have been exposed to the virus.
The wider outbreak was declared in the DRC on May 15, 2026. The country remains the principal outbreak setting, with infections reported across several provinces. Insecurity, population displacement and difficulties reaching some communities have complicated efforts to identify cases and trace contacts.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths in the DRC through October 20. These figures reflect the situation at that reporting cut off and may change as health authorities receive and verify additional information.
The outbreak has also affected countries beyond the DRC. Uganda experienced an earlier outbreak but subsequently declared it over. The country's Ministry of Health has stated that there are no confirmed active Ebola cases in Uganda. The investigation involving Entebbe does not establish that transmission is currently occurring within the country.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a type of Ebola virus that can cause severe illness. There are no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease. Supportive medical care, early detection, isolation, contact tracing and infection prevention measures remain important in limiting its spread.
Nigeria's confirmation of a case has increased the urgency of investigations into possible cross border transmission. Health authorities must establish where the patient was infected, whether she had contact with other infected people and whether additional individuals may have been exposed before her diagnosis.
Officials have not established whether the Nigerian and Kenyan patients had direct contact at Entebbe or whether their infections are connected through another route. The status of identified contacts will also remain important as monitoring continues.
The investigation highlights the challenges of controlling infectious diseases when people travel across international borders before their infections are confirmed. Establishing the source of the Nigerian patient's infection and clarifying any link with the Kenyan cases will be essential to guiding further public health action and preventing additional transmission.