Busia County health authorities have intensified public awareness on Ebola.
They have warned residents against unnecessary cross-border travel as frequent movement of people and goods through the Malaba and Busia border points raises concerns over the risk of importing the disease into Kenya.
During a stakeholders’ meeting at the DIDC Hall in Amagoro, Teso North Subcounty Disease Surveillance Coordinator Kelvin Tagara said health authorities had strengthened preparedness and response measures.
Tagara said 139,026 travellers had been screened at the Busia One-Stop Border Post (OSBP), while another 74,833 had been screened at the Malaba OSBP as of August 19, 2026.
He said health teams had also reached 19,163 learners and school community members, 15,921 members of the public in markets and other public places, 3,672 congregants in churches, 248 community members through barazas and 6,107 vulnerable people with Ebola prevention messages.
“Although we have not recorded any confirmed Ebola case at both Busia and Malaba border points, the county remains a high-risk area because of frequent cross-border movement, trade and population mobility,” Tagara said.
He said seven suspected cases reported in Matayos, and one each in Teso Central and Butula subcounties, had tested negative.
Josephine Mukanzi of Port Health Services at Malaba said between 2,500 and 3,000 trucks cross the Malaba and Busia border points daily, making strict surveillance necessary.
Mukanzi urged Kenyans to undertake only essential travel to Ebola-affected areas, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The DRC is currently battling an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, with health authorities and international partners working to contain the disease. The outbreak has also raised concerns over cross-border transmission in the region.
Teso North Subcounty Public Health Officer Judith Ong’iro said community health promoters and subcounty management teams had stepped up public sensitisation.
Ong’iro urged residents to maintain good hygiene by washing their hands with soap and running water, using alcohol-based sanitiser and avoiding unnecessary close contact with suspected cases.
She said increased public awareness was important in helping residents recognise the risks and take appropriate precautions.
Teso North Subcounty Veterinary Officer Silas Etyang urged residents, particularly those working in slaughterhouses and others whose occupations could expose them to animals, to monitor their health regularly.
The awareness campaign comes as authorities continue to strengthen surveillance at Kenya’s busy border points, where large numbers of people and vehicles cross daily.
Tagara said the absence of confirmed cases at the two border points did not remove the need for vigilance, given the high levels of movement between Kenya and neighbouring countries.
Health officials have continued screening travellers and conducting public sensitisation in schools, markets, churches and other community settings.
The county is also relying on community health promoters and subcounty management teams to spread prevention messages and encourage residents to report suspected cases.
The emphasis on border surveillance comes amid the wider regional Ebola outbreak.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the current outbreak in the DRC and Uganda is caused by the Bundibugyo virus and is spreading substantially faster than previous Ebola outbreaks.
For Busia, the focus remains on preventing the virus from entering the county while ensuring residents understand the importance of personal hygiene, early reporting and responsible travel.
Authorities have urged residents not to panic but to remain vigilant and follow public health guidance as screening and awareness activities continue at the two major border points.
