Saudi Arabia has restricted arrivals from Kenya following the Ebola outbreak.
Saudi Arabia has halted all visa categories for arrivals from Kenya and suspended its citizens’ travel to the country.
Saudi travel restrictions now bar people arriving from Kenya from entering the Kingdom following the Ebola outbreak. The measures also cover travellers who pass through other countries before reaching Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government announced the restrictions on Friday, October 30, after health officials assessed the epidemiological situation. It said the precautions aim to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.
Saudi travel restrictions cover all visa categories
Saudi Arabia has suspended the issuance of every visa category to travellers arriving from Kenya. It has also halted travel to Kenya by Saudi citizens as part of the same measures.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Public Health Authority announced the entry ban, which extends to arrivals travelling through third countries. Routing a journey through another country therefore does not exempt travellers arriving from Kenya.
The Kingdom described the restrictions as part of its wider approach to managing infectious disease risks. That approach began in July 2019, and authorities strengthened it in May 2026 following the Ebola outbreak.
In June 2026, Saudi Arabia also suspended its citizens’ travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. It halted arrivals from those countries as well.
Kenya steps up Ebola containment efforts
Kenya confirmed its first Ebola Bundibugyo case on October 6, 2026. The patient was a Kenyan man who had travelled from the DRC through Uganda.
The Ministry of Health said he arrived in Nairobi on October 3 and entered isolation at Nairobi Hospital. However, he died on October 5 despite receiving supportive care.
Eight other people later tested positive, including four family members and four healthcare workers who treated him. By October 26, Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths.
The second death involved a 65-year-old woman, a close relative of the first victim and the third patient.
To contain transmission, the ministry has intensified contact tracing, laboratory testing, surveillance and screening at entry points. It has also urged the public to report Ebola-related emergencies through toll-free line 719, USSD code *719# or WhatsApp on 0700 719 719.
