Ebola Spreads to Nigeria and Kenya as Epidemic Reaches Five Countries

The 2026 Central Africa Ebola epidemic, which began in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri Province on 14 May, has rapidly expanded beyond its original borders. By late October the outbreak had reached five countries. Nigeria confirmed its first case on 20 October: a woman who flew from Uganda to Abuja on 3 October, developed symptoms on the 7th, and was admitted to a private hospital on the 11th. Kenya, which detected its first imported case on 6 October, had accumulated nine infections by late October — including four relatives of the index patient and four health workers. Investigators noted that the first patients in both Nigeria and Kenya appear to have crossed paths at Uganda's Entebbe International Airport on 3 October, pointing to airport transmission as a key vector in the regional spread. As of mid-October the DRC alone reported 9,735 confirmed cases and 4,510 confirmed deaths. Uganda and Kenya have also recorded fatalities. The rapid multi-country spread has alarmed global health authorities, who are working to trace contacts and deploy vaccines. CNN, Reuters and NPR all led with the story in their health sections around 20–23 October 2026.