Kenya has recorded its first-ever Ebola death after a man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo returned to the country, the health minister announced on Tuesday.

The unnamed Kenyan man fell ill around a month ago and received treatment in the DRC before he travelled overland to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, Health Minister Aden Duale told reporters.

The man then flew to Nairobi on October 3, where health officials screened and confirmed him positive for the deadly virus.

“He regrettably passed on last night at around 23:30,” Duale said.

The health ministry has listed 28 contacts of the deceased, including family members and healthcare workers. So far only one test has turned positive.

“I wish to assure the public not to panic, as all systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease,” Duale added.

Kenya has never recorded an Ebola case before. Earlier this year, Kenyans reacted angrily to government plans to create an Ebola facility at Laikipia Air Base, about 200 km from Nairobi.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in mid-May. The disease has killed more than 15 000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.

As of October 2, the World Health Organization had recorded 4 082 deaths out of 8 463 cases since the emergence of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. No vaccine or specific treatment exists for this strain.

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