Kenya remains free of confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases as of June 5, 2026, according to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale. The Ministry of Health has reported that 56 samples collected from individuals with travel histories to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, countries experiencing Ebola outbreaks, have all tested negative. This reassurance comes amidst intensified national preparedness and response measures aimed at safeguarding Kenyans from the highly contagious disease, given the country's close proximity and connectivity through trade, transport, and population movement with DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan.

The government has significantly scaled up its surveillance efforts, screening over 80,000 travellers to date, including nearly 4,000 within a 24-hour period. Key preparedness initiatives include the activation of the National Incident Management System, heightened surveillance at all Points of Entry, and the designation of four national laboratories for Ebola testing: the National Public Health Laboratory, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) facilities in Nairobi and Kisumu, and a mobile laboratory deployed at the Busia One-Stop Border Post. These measures align with International Health Regulations (IHR) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, encompassing enhanced risk-based screening, traveller assessment, monitoring, and rapid response protocols.

Further bolstering its defenses, the Ministry of Health has identified 25 high-risk counties, placed 347 rapid response personnel on standby, and sensitized over 1,759 national and county healthcare workers on Ebola preparedness and response. Simulation exercises are actively being conducted in these high-risk counties to test and enhance the country's capacity for prompt and effective outbreak response. Public awareness and risk communication campaigns are also sustained, targeting border communities, healthcare workers, transport operators, and other vulnerable populations. Kenyans are urged to remain vigilant, practice high standards of personal hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick persons or handling sick/dead animals, and rely solely on official information from the Ministry of Health, the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI), WHO, and Africa CDC.

At the county level, specific measures have been implemented. Bungoma County, recognized as high-risk due to its location along the northern corridor and its border with Uganda through areas like Sirisia and Cheptais sub-counties, has designated three health facilities – Lwakhakha Health Centre, Bungoma County Referral Hospital (BCRH), and Webuye County Hospital – as Ebola isolation and quarantine centres. These facilities are equipped to manage suspected cases, and health authorities have intensified disease surveillance and screening at the Kenya-Uganda border. Kericho County has also reported patients under isolation at its county hospital amidst Ebola scares, indicating a proactive approach to potential threats.

Despite these extensive national and county-level efforts, a significant debate has erupted over the proposed US-built Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base. Intended to serve Americans exposed to the virus arriving from the DRC, the facility is reportedly nearing completion with US medical experts on-site. However, health experts and local communities are questioning Kenya's broader capacity to handle an Ebola outbreak, fearing that the focus on this foreign-led facility distracts from deficiencies in the national health system.

Locals in Nanyuki, the town near Laikipia Air Base, have expressed anger and fear, viewing the facility as endangering their lives and businesses. Protests have taken place, with activists and County Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior condemning the initiative as "neo-colonialism" and a violation of self-governance principles, given that the US is reportedly unwilling to host such patients on its own soil. The opposition is fueled by the controversial nature of the facility, which will house 50 isolation beds and be managed by US staff, and follows a recent health deal where Kenya agreed to share health data with the US in exchange for aid. Despite a High Court order to halt its establishment, Health CS Aden Duale has stated he will not stop the centre, with President William Ruto defending it as a gesture of partnership and humanity, highlighting the US pledge of $13.5 million towards Kenya's Ebola preparedness. The government has attempted to appease critics by stating the facility would also serve Kenyans, a claim not echoed by Washington. Nevertheless, fears persist that Kenya's "shambles" public health sector would struggle with a serious outbreak, and further protests are planned, underlining the deep public mistrust and concern over the long-term implications of such international agreements on national health sovereignty and safety.