A second person in Kenya has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, the World Health Organization confirmed on Thursday, as the UN agency's country representative urged collective responsibility to prevent community spread of the disease.

The new patient — a 39-year-old man and a relative of Kenya's first confirmed case — was among contacts placed in quarantine following the initial infection. He developed symptoms on 13 October. Kenya's first patient, a local man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arrived in Nairobi via Uganda on 3 October and died in hospital on 5 October. His case is directly linked to the ongoing outbreak in eastern DRC, declared in May.

Health authorities cast a wide net to trace everyone who may have come into contact with the first patient — whether in the air or on the ground. The more than 40 contacts identified include airline passengers and crew, airplane cleaners, airport workers, baggage handlers, immigration officials, health personnel, and family members. Most are in quarantine; a small number of low-risk contacts are self-quarantining under monitoring. Authorities are still attempting to reach six passengers who have proved difficult to locate due to foreign phone numbers.

WHO Representative Dr. Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo praised the government for listing and quarantining contacts, but emphasised the response must go beyond official actors. "To defeat this disease, it's not about the Government, it is not about partners. It is about everybody," she told UN News in Nairobi. "We all have a role to play and if each one of us plays our part, then we should be able to contain the disease and stop community spread."

WHO has donated some $70,000 worth of supplies — including infection prevention and control (IPC) and laboratory items — since the first case was identified. More than 4,000 health workers have been trained, including for screenings at ports of entry. A senior incident manager with experience in the Ebola response in Uganda has also been brought in.

Dr. Kimambo said there is no need to impose travel restrictions or close borders, while stressing the importance of appropriate traveller screening. She noted that Ebola's symptoms — fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea — can mimic malaria and other diseases, making early medical consultation critical. The public is advised to practise regular handwashing, use hand sanitiser, and avoid shaking hands.

This article is based on a primary source and has undergone editorial review prior to publication.