Somalia’s Ministry of Health and Human Services has begun screening travelers arriving from African countries against Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease after a Somali citizen was confirmed to have travelled with a Kenyan man who later died of Ebola in Nairobi on October 5, 2026.
Although the man, a Somali citizen, in question has not been tested positive for the disease, he has been placed in quarantine since October 11 after authorities learnt that he had travelled with an Ebola victim.
The citizen was taken to the Ebola Quarantine and Treatment Centre at Forlanini Hospital in Mogadishu, one of the oldest health facilities and also known as Lazzaretti, for medical assessment.
The ministry said Somalia’s International Health Regulations (IHR) office received an official notification about the citizen from its Ugandan counterpart on October 10, according to the ministry’s statement seen by APA on Wednesday.
“Somalia’s IHR office received an official notification from Uganda on the evening of 10 October 2026, stating that a Somali citizen and a Kenyan citizen had travelled together from the Democratic Republic of Congo via Uganda,” it said.
The Ugandan report included the Somali citizen’s name, passport number and flight details, including his seat number, which facilitated his tracing and identification.
The ministry said the information was handled by officials designated for the investigation and follow-up.
The Kenyan victim, also a man, had travelled from eastern DRC to Uganda via road before boarding a Jambojet flight on October 3. He was taken to the Nairobi Hospital by a relative but died shortly later.
On October 11, Somalia’s Immigration and Nationality Agency confirmed the citizen’s arrival at Mogadishu airport, where he underwent standard travel health screening procedures that raised no concerns.
Meanwhile, the ministry urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid spreading unverified information and follow official health guidance.
MG/as/APA