Saudi Arabia has introduced additional precautions against the Ebola virus, including suspending entry and exit of citizens from Kenya following an assessment of the situation conducted by health authorities.
Under the new restrictions, Saudi Arabian citizens are prohibited from traveling to Kenya. Furthermore, the Royal Public Health Authority announced on Friday, October 30, the suspension of issuing all types of visas to travelers from this East African country.
Entry into the Kingdom is also closed to arrivals from Kenya, including those transiting through other countries, if they resided in Kenya or another country experiencing an Ebola outbreak within 21 days prior to arrival.
Kenya confirmed its first Ebola case on October 6 after the death of a Kenyan citizen who arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo and died in Nairobi.
Kenya became the fourth country to record a case related to the Ebola epidemic in Eastern Congo, which is the second largest registered, with over 8000 cases.
Saudi Arabia's latest precautions complement the Kingdom's existing efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. The Kingdom began implementing restrictions as early as July 2019 and strengthened them in May 2026 for travelers from countries affected by Ebola outbreaks.
In June 2026, Saudi Arabia also suspended travel for its citizens and residents to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. Additional precautions, including screening at entry points, epidemiological investigations, and early health response measures, were introduced for travelers arriving from countries bordering the affected areas.
The Public Health Authority (Weqaya) reported that the health situation in Saudi Arabia remains encouraging and is under close observation. It added that the Kingdom continues to monitor regional and international developments in coordination with relevant authorities and will introduce additional preventive measures as necessary to protect citizens, residents, and visitors.
