Kenya will require travelers coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to complete health surveillance forms before entry, the authorities announced.
A diplomatic note from the Kenyan embassy in Angola states that those originating in or transiting through either country will face heightened health surveillance to block Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from entering Kenya.
Simultaneously, authorities have ordered airports to perform temperature checks on passengers to spot anyone with a fever over 38 °C.
The Ministry of Health has directed that, at all airports, measures be taken to avert disease importation and curb its spread,” the message read. “Travelers from DRC or Uganda must honestly fill out the Electronic Traveller Surveillance Form prior to disembarkation,” it added.
The policy serves as a precaution to keep Ebola out of Kenya.
The notice requires airlines from the affected nations to give passengers the surveillance form before departure, ensuring compliance when they arrive.
Moreover, transport operators must submit passenger manifests and health declaration documents to Port Health Officers upon request.
These new rules supplement a breadth of measures already adopted to prevent an outbreak.
Per the ministry, anyone showing virus symptoms must be isolated when entering a hospital, even while tests are pending.
The advisory cautions against awaiting travel history or lab results before isolation. Patients may fail to disclose their history or be too ill to provide it. ISOLATE FIRST, INVESTIGATE, THEN INITIATE TREATMENT,” it read.
The ministry also warned that Kenya stays vulnerable to the virus because of heavy cross‑border traffic at key entry pointsBusia, Malaba, Suam, Namanga, and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).