US Raises Kenya Travel Advisory Amid Ebola Outbreak

The United States Department of State raised its travel advisory for Kenya from Level 2 to Level 3 on October 19, 2026. The agency urged citizens to reconsider travel due to a combination of rising Ebola cases and ongoing security risks, including terrorism, kidnapping, crime, and civil unrest. A Level 4 "do not travel" warning remains in effect for specific high-risk zones, including the Kibera and Eastleigh neighborhoods of Nairobi and various border and coastal counties.

Kenya's Ministry of Health is currently managing a cluster of eight to nine confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. The outbreak originated from a single imported case from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that transited through Uganda. One patient has died, while others are stable or improving.

Health Director-General Patrick Amoth confirmed the most recent infection was a 49-year-old health facility attendant. Despite these cases, Kenyan authorities state that the overall risk to the general public remains low and there is no evidence of wider community transmission.