Kenya: Flights From 10 Countries Sent to a Screening Gate in Nairobi After Ebola Case

October 7, 2026 — Update to our October 6 story. Kenya has not reported a second Ebola case, but it has tightened airport screening. Flights arriving in Nairobi from 10 African countries now go to a dedicated gate, and travelers must complete health declaration forms. The UK updated its Kenya advice on Wednesday. US and Canadian entry rules have not changed.

What changed

Contacts: Health officials said on Wednesday that 57 contacts have been identified and 10 people are in quarantine. Yesterday’s figure was 28 contacts. Kenya still has one confirmed case and one death.
The flight: Local media identify it as Jambojet JM 8523 from Entebbe to Nairobi on Saturday, October 3. Officials are tracing 23 passengers and 4 crew. How many have been found is not stated (TBA).
Gate 16: Aircraft arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from 10 countries are being directed to Gate 16, where port health staff screen passengers.
The 10 countries, per Kenyan press: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. A RwandAir notice lists Somalia in place of the Central African Republic. We could not open the official list.
Forms: Arriving passengers must complete a health declaration. One outlet reports that departing travelers must now complete one too.
No ban: No report describes an entry ban or quarantine for arriving travelers. No effective date was published for the new measures.
Capacity: Kenya has activated 23 isolation and treatment centres and put 15 points of entry under heightened surveillance.

What other governments say

World Health Organization: Advises against any restriction on travel to or trade with Kenya, Uganda or the DRC.
United Kingdom: The Foreign Office updated its Kenya advice on October 7 with the Ebola case and Kenya’s response. It does not advise against travel because of it.
United States: The Kenya advisory is unchanged at Level 2. The US Embassy in Nairobi issued a health alert dated October 6. We could not open the embassy page, but AllAfrica reports it tells Americans to monitor their health for 21 days after possible exposure and to review medical evacuation cover.
US and Canadian entry rules: Unchanged, and Kenya has not been added. The US boarding bar still covers the DRC, with designated arrival airports for travelers who were in Uganda or South Sudan. Canada’s measures for the same three countries run to November 27, 2026.
Somalia: Has posted health staff at Mogadishu airport to screen arrivals from affected countries, the Somali Guardian reports.
Outbreak totals: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now lists 8,625 confirmed cases and 4,151 confirmed deaths, nearly all in the DRC.

Reported: insurance at the eTA stage

VisasNews reported on October 6 that Kenya’s electronic travel authorisation portal now requires applicants without recognised cover to buy travel health insurance, at a total cost of $52. The official eTA site showed no notice when we checked, and the report says a court suspended the requirement in August. Treat this as unconfirmed.

What it means for airline travelers

Kenya is open. Flights are operating and no airline suspension was found.
Expect screening and paperwork on arrival in Nairobi, and possibly on departure. Allow extra time for connections.
Arriving from one of the listed countries? Ask your airline about the health declaration before you fly. You cannot sort it out at the gate.
Other countries may add checks on travelers arriving from Kenya, the UK notes. Standby travelers should recheck US and Canadian rules on the day of travel.
Applying for a Kenya eTA? Apply early and watch for an insurance step in the application.
Health questions belong with the official CDC and Canadian notices and your own doctor. Register with STEP (US) or Registration of Canadians Abroad.