Nairobi (AFP) – Kenya's president on Tuesday defended the opening of an Ebola quarantine centre for US nationals after a court halted the plan and security forces teargassed protesters fearing the deadly virus could spread in the country.
Issued on: 02/06/2026 - RFI
Ruto (pictured at the UN in Nairobi) defended the Ebola quarantine centre in Kenya reserved for US citizens © SIMON MAINA / AFP
The US-built facility at Kenya's Laikipia Air Base was due to open last week according to US officials, to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is battling a major Ebola outbreak.
The centre -- about 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the capital Nairobi -- was set to have 50 isolation beds and be managed by US medical staff.
Violent protests broke out near the facility on Monday amid anger at the US using Kenyan soil and bringing Ebola patients to the country. They were met with tear gas from police.
Police, emergency services and the Red Cross could not confirm reports of deaths during the protests. The Red Cross said they had only heard of two injuries.
In a post on X on Tuesday, President William Ruto said the proposed US facility was "neither unique nor exceptional but part of a broader national preparedness system", adding that it "will be there to serve the people of Kenya and to serve our friends, including the Americans".
On Monday, he said: "I can assure the people of Kenya that the agreement between the government of Kenya and the American government is for the good of our country and for the partnership."
"Why anybody would want to politicise, to mobilise negative politics on a matter so serious as a pandemic?" he continued.
"We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing. So people should relax."
Kenya has recorded no case of Ebola despite widespread testing of arrivals but neighbouring Uganda has registered 11 cases including one death.
However, the High Court extended a temporary halt to the plan on Tuesday, according to rights group Katiba Institute, which filed a petition last week claiming it was being established unilaterally and in secret.
The court said the government had seven days to "disclose all agreements" relating to the facility.
A small group of protesters gathered in central Nairobi on Tuesday, wearing white protective gear and carrying a coffin emblazoned with "Ebola" and placards reading: "Reject Ebola in Kenya".
There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola in DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
© 2026 AFP
The US-built facility at Kenya's Laikipia Air Base was due to open last week according to US officials, to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is battling a major Ebola outbreak.
The centre -- about 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the capital Nairobi -- was set to have 50 isolation beds and be managed by US medical staff.
Violent protests broke out near the facility on Monday amid anger at the US using Kenyan soil and bringing Ebola patients to the country. They were met with tear gas from police.
Police, emergency services and the Red Cross could not confirm reports of deaths during the protests. The Red Cross said they had only heard of two injuries.
In a post on X on Tuesday, President William Ruto said the proposed US facility was "neither unique nor exceptional but part of a broader national preparedness system", adding that it "will be there to serve the people of Kenya and to serve our friends, including the Americans".
On Monday, he said: "I can assure the people of Kenya that the agreement between the government of Kenya and the American government is for the good of our country and for the partnership."
"Why anybody would want to politicise, to mobilise negative politics on a matter so serious as a pandemic?" he continued.
"We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing. So people should relax."
Kenya has recorded no case of Ebola despite widespread testing of arrivals but neighbouring Uganda has registered 11 cases including one death.
However, the High Court extended a temporary halt to the plan on Tuesday, according to rights group Katiba Institute, which filed a petition last week claiming it was being established unilaterally and in secret.
The court said the government had seven days to "disclose all agreements" relating to the facility.
A small group of protesters gathered in central Nairobi on Tuesday, wearing white protective gear and carrying a coffin emblazoned with "Ebola" and placards reading: "Reject Ebola in Kenya".
There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola in DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
© 2026 AFP
WHO seeks more aid for Congo as ebola outbreak continues to spread
The head of the World Health Organization met with Félix Tshisekedi on Monday to discuss the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola outbreak, as an aid agency warned the epidemic was likely far larger than official figures suggest. The government said confirmed Ebola cases had risen to 321.
Issued on: 02/06/2026 - RFI
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus meets with Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi during a visit in Kinshasa, on 1 June, 2026. via REUTERS - Democratic Republic of Congo Pre
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Congo last week and called for greater international support to halt the spread of the disease. He first travelled from the capital, Kinshasa, to Ituri Province, where the first cases were confirmed.
The outbreak is already the third largest on record and is believed to have persisted undetected for several weeks, according to health officials. They say they are now behind the curve and struggling to bring it under control.
Tedros said he had seen some encouraging signs – including five certified recoveries – but also highlighted the need to increase testing and treatment capacity and strengthen trust in healthcare workers.
After flying back to Kinshasa, Tedros met President Felix Tshisekedi at his residence.
"This Ebola outbreak can be stopped when communities take ownership of the response and with strong government leadership," he said after the meeting. "We need to strengthen the capacity of health systems in the affected areas."
DRC faces 'catastrophic collision' of conflict and Ebola outbreak, WHO warns.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Congo last week and called for greater international support to halt the spread of the disease. He first travelled from the capital, Kinshasa, to Ituri Province, where the first cases were confirmed.
The outbreak is already the third largest on record and is believed to have persisted undetected for several weeks, according to health officials. They say they are now behind the curve and struggling to bring it under control.
Tedros said he had seen some encouraging signs – including five certified recoveries – but also highlighted the need to increase testing and treatment capacity and strengthen trust in healthcare workers.
After flying back to Kinshasa, Tedros met President Felix Tshisekedi at his residence.
"This Ebola outbreak can be stopped when communities take ownership of the response and with strong government leadership," he said after the meeting. "We need to strengthen the capacity of health systems in the affected areas."
DRC faces 'catastrophic collision' of conflict and Ebola outbreak, WHO warns.
Furaha Tikamanyire, 29, a Congolese health worker who recovered from the Ebola virus stands with Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on 31 May, 2026. REUTERS - Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
Call for help
The WHO also appealed to the international community for greater solidarity and resources. "There have been promises, but they need to materialise now," a WHO source said.
The global health organisation, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), pledged approximately $60 million to Moderna and two other groups to accelerate the development of vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The company told Reuters that vaccines against the strain could be ready for clinical trials within a few months.
China also announced on Monday that it would send a team of medical specialists to Congo to assist with the outbreak.
Tedros left Kinshasa on Monday evening to return to Geneva, according to his official programme.
Upgrading the response
RFI's correspondent in Kinshasa reported that some Congolese officials had initially questioned the WHO's communications strategy, describing it as "catastrophising".
Authorities sought to reassure the public, emphasising that the country has extensive experience, having already faced 17 Ebola outbreaks.
However, a member of the ministerial delegation sent to Bunia alongside the WHO team reported positive discussions.
Some encouraging developments also helped ease tensions, including the recovery of several patients and the opening of an Ebola treatment centre in Bunia by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Sunday.
The WHO's repeated calls for travel restrictions to be lifted have also been well received in Kinshasa.
Call for help
The WHO also appealed to the international community for greater solidarity and resources. "There have been promises, but they need to materialise now," a WHO source said.
The global health organisation, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), pledged approximately $60 million to Moderna and two other groups to accelerate the development of vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The company told Reuters that vaccines against the strain could be ready for clinical trials within a few months.
China also announced on Monday that it would send a team of medical specialists to Congo to assist with the outbreak.
Tedros left Kinshasa on Monday evening to return to Geneva, according to his official programme.
Upgrading the response
RFI's correspondent in Kinshasa reported that some Congolese officials had initially questioned the WHO's communications strategy, describing it as "catastrophising".
Authorities sought to reassure the public, emphasising that the country has extensive experience, having already faced 17 Ebola outbreaks.
However, a member of the ministerial delegation sent to Bunia alongside the WHO team reported positive discussions.
Some encouraging developments also helped ease tensions, including the recovery of several patients and the opening of an Ebola treatment centre in Bunia by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Sunday.
The WHO's repeated calls for travel restrictions to be lifted have also been well received in Kinshasa.
A border health officer at the Busunga crossing between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo checks a traveler's temperature using a contactless infrared thermometer in Bundibugyo, on 18 May 2026. AFP - BADRU KATUMBA
In a joint statement issued on Sunday night, the WHO and the Congolese government acknowledged that it was "a challenging time" and said they were working to improve surveillance, testing and patient care.
"Persistent challenges include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, robust infection prevention and control in health facilities, and strong community awareness," the statement said.
Ebola outbreak declared in eastern DR Congo as regional alert raised
Larger figures?
The WHO said on Friday that there were 906 suspected Ebola cases in Congo, including 223 suspected deaths under investigation. The Congolese government said late on Sunday that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 282, with 42 deaths, after 19 new positive test results were recorded, before confirming on Monday that cases had increased further to 321.
According to data released by the communications ministry, there have been at least 264 confirmed cases in Ituri Province alone, as well as 15 in North Kivu Province and three in South Kivu Province.
Ebola cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.
However, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned on Monday that the outbreak was likely significantly larger and more advanced than official figures suggest.
The aid agency said in a statement that the virus may have been spreading for up to three months before the first official cases were detected in mid-May. With only 20 per cent of contacts currently being traced, it said health authorities are struggling to identify and isolate new chains of transmission.
"When four out of five contacts are not being traced, it becomes incredibly difficult to contain the outbreak or even understand its true scale," said Rachel Howard, IRC's senior technical emergency health adviser.
While Congolese officials are highly experienced in responding to Ebola outbreaks, they have little experience with the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak and for which there is no approved vaccine, the NGO added.
(with Reuters)
In a joint statement issued on Sunday night, the WHO and the Congolese government acknowledged that it was "a challenging time" and said they were working to improve surveillance, testing and patient care.
"Persistent challenges include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, robust infection prevention and control in health facilities, and strong community awareness," the statement said.
Ebola outbreak declared in eastern DR Congo as regional alert raised
Larger figures?
The WHO said on Friday that there were 906 suspected Ebola cases in Congo, including 223 suspected deaths under investigation. The Congolese government said late on Sunday that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 282, with 42 deaths, after 19 new positive test results were recorded, before confirming on Monday that cases had increased further to 321.
According to data released by the communications ministry, there have been at least 264 confirmed cases in Ituri Province alone, as well as 15 in North Kivu Province and three in South Kivu Province.
Ebola cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.
However, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned on Monday that the outbreak was likely significantly larger and more advanced than official figures suggest.
The aid agency said in a statement that the virus may have been spreading for up to three months before the first official cases were detected in mid-May. With only 20 per cent of contacts currently being traced, it said health authorities are struggling to identify and isolate new chains of transmission.
"When four out of five contacts are not being traced, it becomes incredibly difficult to contain the outbreak or even understand its true scale," said Rachel Howard, IRC's senior technical emergency health adviser.
While Congolese officials are highly experienced in responding to Ebola outbreaks, they have little experience with the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak and for which there is no approved vaccine, the NGO added.
(with Reuters)
Brazil isolates two suspected Ebola cases as suspected cases in Congo surpass 1,000
Brazilian health authorities isolated two patients who recently arrived from African countries after they showed symptoms consistent with Ebola, officials said Friday, although one later tested negative. The move comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo battles an outbreak that has surpassed 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 deaths since May.
Issued on: 01/06/2026
By: FRANCE 24
Brazilian health authorities isolated two patients who recently arrived from African countries after they showed symptoms consistent with Ebola, officials said Friday, although one later tested negative. The move comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo battles an outbreak that has surpassed 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 deaths since May.
Issued on: 01/06/2026
By: FRANCE 24
Red Cross workers bury an Ebola victim at the Rwampara Cemetery, in Rwampara, DR Congo, May 23, 2026. © Moses Sawasawa, AP
Two patients who recently arrived in Brazil from African countries have been put in isolation after showing symptoms linked to Ebola, officials said, though one later tested negative for the virus.
A 37-year-old man who recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak has been concentrated, "exhibited symptoms such as fever, meeting the definition of a suspected case" of Ebola, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement on Saturday.
The man was placed in isolation at the Emilio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases in Sao Paulo.
The patient was diagnosed with a severe form of meningitis and more tests were being conducted to screen for Ebola, officials added Sunday.
The Sao Paulo government said that despite the suspected case, "the technical assessment indicates that the risk of the disease being introduced into Brazil and South America remains very low."
Another man was placed in isolation in Rio de Janeiro after arriving from Uganda on May 22 and showing "viral symptoms such as cough, chills and diarrhea", local officials said.
Rio City Hall told AFP on Sunday that the man had tested positive for malaria, but that the "case remained under investigation".
On Sunday, Brazil's ministry of health said the man's tests showed "negative results for Ebola" although he remains in isolation until the investigation is completed.
There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
However, the true reach of the outbreak in the DRC, which is thought to have been circulating before it was detected, is likely to be much wider, the World Health Organization has warned.
At least 282 confirmed cases of Ebola have been reported in Congo’s ongoing outbreak, the central African nation said late Sunday.
In neighbouring Uganda, several infections and one death have been confirmed.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Two patients who recently arrived in Brazil from African countries have been put in isolation after showing symptoms linked to Ebola, officials said, though one later tested negative for the virus.
A 37-year-old man who recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak has been concentrated, "exhibited symptoms such as fever, meeting the definition of a suspected case" of Ebola, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement on Saturday.
The man was placed in isolation at the Emilio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases in Sao Paulo.
The patient was diagnosed with a severe form of meningitis and more tests were being conducted to screen for Ebola, officials added Sunday.
The Sao Paulo government said that despite the suspected case, "the technical assessment indicates that the risk of the disease being introduced into Brazil and South America remains very low."
Another man was placed in isolation in Rio de Janeiro after arriving from Uganda on May 22 and showing "viral symptoms such as cough, chills and diarrhea", local officials said.
Rio City Hall told AFP on Sunday that the man had tested positive for malaria, but that the "case remained under investigation".
On Sunday, Brazil's ministry of health said the man's tests showed "negative results for Ebola" although he remains in isolation until the investigation is completed.
There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
However, the true reach of the outbreak in the DRC, which is thought to have been circulating before it was detected, is likely to be much wider, the World Health Organization has warned.
At least 282 confirmed cases of Ebola have been reported in Congo’s ongoing outbreak, the central African nation said late Sunday.
In neighbouring Uganda, several infections and one death have been confirmed.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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