Ebola search surge in Kenya: What are Kenyans asking Google?

Google searches for “Ebola” surged sharply in Kenya on August 11, with interest recording a breakout of more than 5,000 per cent compared with the preceding 24 hours and the same period a week earlier, according to Google Trends data reviewed by The Standard.

The leading related searches included “Ebola outbreak”, “what is Ebola” and “what causes Ebola”, indicating heightened public interest in understanding the disease and the reported outbreak.

The spike does not mean Kenyans are infected, nor does a surge in Google searches constitute evidence of an outbreak in the country. Rather, it offers a snapshot of public attention at a time when an infectious disease is making headlines.

Google Trends has previously provided useful insight into what people are concerned about during major events. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for instance, search patterns showed how Kenyans tried to understand and respond to an unfamiliar health threat.

What Covid taught us

Google’s 2020 Year in Search data provides a record of the information Kenyans sought during the pandemic.

“Coronavirus” topped Kenya’s trending health searches, followed by terms such as “quarantine”, “dexamethasone”, “Pfizer”, “Vitamin C”, “KEMSA”, “chloroquine”, “asymptomatic”, “sanitiser” and “ventilator”.

Under “What is” searches, Kenyans wanted to know what coronavirus, curfew, fever and quarantine meant. Under “How to” searches, they sought practical information on making hand sanitiser and masks, boosting immunity and preventing coronavirus.

Other trending searches included “Coronavirus in Kenya”, “Schools reopening in Kenya”, “Tanzania coronavirus cases” and “Coronavirus in Italy”.

In other words, Kenyans were not simply searching for the disease. They were trying to understand how to live through it.

That experience offers an important lesson for the current Ebola searches. People tend to search first when faced with uncertainty: What is this? How does it spread? What are the symptoms? How can I protect myself? Where can I get treatment?

The questions often change as the perceived threat grows.

Ebola searches and public information

The latest surge in searches comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo deals with an outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola virus, where health authorities are dealing with the disease amid insecurity, population movement and a fragile health system. 

The Bundibugyo species involved currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although vaccine and therapeutic candidates are being studied.

The outbreak has now passed 4,000 confirmed cases, and 2,000 deaths, making it the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The situation has understandably attracted international attention, including in neighbouring countries.

The developments have generated renewed international attention on Ebola, providing context for the increase in related searches in Kenya.

But Google Trends is not a disease surveillance system. A spike in searches can be triggered by media reports, social media posts, government announcements or developments in another country without any corresponding increase in infections.

Researchers have nevertheless examined whether online search behaviour can serve as a supplementary public-health signal. Studies during Covid-19 found that search trends could, in some circumstances, precede reported cases and deaths, although researchers stressed that media coverage and public interest can also influence search patterns.

Information demand during health emergencies

The current Ebola searches should therefore be understood primarily as a signal of information demand. And the questions Kenyans are asking provide a clear indication of what information they need.

If people are searching “what is Ebola?”, health authorities should provide clear explanations. If they are searching “Ebola outbreak”, officials should explain where the outbreak is occurring and whether Kenya is affected. Questions about transmission, symptoms, prevention and treatment should be answered with authoritative, evidence-based information.

That is particularly important because the Covid experience showed how quickly information gaps can be filled by speculation and misinformation.

Kenya has not reported a confirmed Ebola outbreak linked to the current epidemic. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Health said suspected Ebola cases investigated in Kenya had tested negative.

However, Kenya's role as a regional transport and commercial hub means developments in neighbouring countries can generate public health concerns and increased demand for information.

What the searches really tell us

The most striking comparison between the Covid-19 experience and the current Ebola searches may not be the diseases themselves, but the questions people are asking.

During Covid, Kenyans wanted to understand the virus, prevent infection, make protective equipment and navigate restrictions.

Six years later, the Ebola searches are beginning with a seemingly basic question: What is Ebola?

That question is not insignificant. In a health emergency, a basic question can be the beginning of an informed response.

The August 11 surge should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that Ebola has reached Kenya, or as a reason for panic. It is a reminder that public attention can move faster than an outbreak—and that health communication must move even faster.

For public health authorities, the latest spike therefore provides an indication of the issues attracting public attention as the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues.

Accurate information on the location of the outbreak, transmission, symptoms, prevention and available medical guidance remains important as public interest grows.