Ebola: Tanzania tightens entry checks following Kenya’s first death

Tanzania has introduced stricter health screening measures for international travellers following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the confirmation of seven cases in Kenya, including one death.

The measures, which took effect on Saturday, require travellers entering Tanzania by air, land and sea to complete health surveillance forms, undergo screening at points of entry and report symptoms associated with Ebola or other infectious diseases.

In Travel Advisory No. 18, dated October 17, 2026, Tanzania’s Ministry of Health said the measures were intended to strengthen disease surveillance and prevent further cross-border transmission as the outbreak continues to affect the region.

“Following the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and a recent case in Kenya of a patient traveling from the DRC, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has expanded its public health requirement related to international travel for incoming travellers,” the advisory stated.

The measures are being implemented in line with the International Health Regulations of 2005, as amended in 2024, and Tanzania’s Public Health Act of 2009.

Under the new requirements, all travellers entering Tanzania must complete an online Traveller’s Health Surveillance Form before departure or upon arrival.

The form is available through the Ministry of Health’s AfyaMsafiri portal. Travellers must provide accurate information and retain the confirmation QR code or reference number for verification by port health authorities.

Screening will be conducted at airports, land border crossings and seaports and will include temperature checks. Anyone suspected of having Ebola or another infectious disease will be managed under national screening procedures.

Travellers are also required to monitor their health and report symptoms to the nearest health facility or port health authorities. They can contact Tanzania’s health authorities through the toll-free number 199 or email poe@afya.go.tz.

The advisory further requires high-risk travellers to undergo health monitoring for 21 days through daily automated messages or other communication channels.

Those under monitoring must cooperate with health officials and respond to follow-up messages throughout the period, even if they leave Tanzania before the 21 days elapse.

Transport operators and travellers have also been directed to observe infection prevention measures, including hand hygiene, using hand sanitisers and avoiding unnecessary physical contact. Vehicles and other conveyances suspected of contamination linked to Ebola cases may be decontaminated at points of entry.

Tanzania’s announcement comes as Kenya intensifies efforts to contain an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease.

Kenya confirmed four additional cases on October 17, bringing the country’s total to seven, including the first patient who died. The latest infections involved three healthcare workers who treated the initial patient and a close male relative of the deceased.

According to the Ministry of Health, all four patients were already in quarantine when they developed fever and subsequently tested positive for the virus. The infections represent the first known instances of transmission within Kenya, with three cases involving healthcare workers exposed while providing care.

The country’s first confirmed case involved a Kenyan man who had been living in the DRC and travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi on October 3. He died on October 5, and the infection was confirmed the following day.

Kenyan authorities have identified 130 contacts linked to the outbreak, with 128 traced and placed under quarantine as surveillance and containment operations continue. The government has said there is no evidence of wider community transmission and maintains that the risk to the general public remains low.

The outbreak in the DRC has expanded beyond its initial locations, with health authorities reporting infections across multiple provinces. On October 18, the outbreak had spread to North Ubangi, the eighth affected province, with the country recording 9,415 cases and 4,536 deaths as of October 16.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved specific treatment. The World Health Organization says transmission occurs through direct contact with the blood, secretions and other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated materials.

Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, which may progress to vomiting, diarrhoea, and, in severe cases, bleeding. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, and infected people are not considered infectious until symptoms develop.

Tanzania has urged travellers to comply with its entry requirements and those of their destination and transit countries. The Ministry of Health said the advisory would be reviewed and updated as the situation evolves.