Kenya Begins 42-Day Countdown After Last Ebola Patient Recovers

What changed

Kenya discharged its last Ebola patient on 11 November, meaning all seven identified patients have recovered and all 135 contacts have completed follow-up monitoring. The country has now started the 42-day countdown required before it can be officially declared Ebola-free.

Why it matters

This is a major shift from emergency containment to watchful verification. Kenya has reported no new confirmed cases since 20 October, and all known infections were linked to a businessman who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and travelled through Uganda. No wider community transmission has been identified.

The work is not over. Health authorities will keep teams on alert at border crossings, airports, health facilities and in communities, while travellers from affected countries face screening, electronic health declarations and 21 days of supervised quarantine.

The practical test is simple: Kenya must get through the countdown without a qualifying new case or death. Until then, travel restrictions remain a live consequence. Saudi Arabia stopped issuing visas to Kenyan nationals in late October, and Kenya’s health minister is urging countries with similar measures to reconsider them.