OMM Redaksiyası
Kenya has confirmed its first Ebola infection after a Kenyan citizen who arrived from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) died in Nairobi, prompting health authorities to begin urgent contact-tracing measures.
The man had been ill for about a month in eastern DRC. He travelled by road to Uganda and then flew to the Kenyan capital. He died late on Monday, a few days after arriving in Nairobi.
Kenya is the third country to record an Ebola infection linked to the outbreak in eastern DRC. The outbreak is considered the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record.
Patient travelled to Nairobi via Uganda
Kenya’s Health Minister Aden Duale said the patient travelled by car from DRC to Uganda’s capital, Kampala, and flew to Nairobi on Saturday.
After arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, he underwent routine health screening. When his condition worsened, a relative took him to a hospital in Nairobi.
Doctors found that the patient had a fever, chills and signs of bleeding beneath the skin. He was isolated immediately but died late on Monday.
Kenya’s Director-General for Health, Patrick Amoth, said medication may temporarily mask symptoms, so signs of the disease might not have been detected during the airport screening.
The case has highlighted the difficulty of detecting Ebola in people travelling across borders, particularly when symptoms fluctuate or are subdued by medication.
Passengers and health workers who had contact with patient sought
Kenyan health officials have identified 28 people who had contact with the patient since he entered the country. They include relatives and workers who provided him with medical care and assistance.
Authorities are also seeking 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same Jambojet flight as the patient. The investigation aims to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and monitor them before symptoms develop.
The patient was due to be buried on Tuesday under special burial procedures designed to prevent the spread of the virus. These measures are particularly important because Ebola can remain highly infectious in the body of a person who has died.
Duale sought to reassure the public, saying Kenya had prepared for the possibility of an imported infection.
“As a country, we have maintained a high level of preparedness against Ebola since the outbreak began in May,” the minister said.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person. The disease can cause fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
The virus is not usually spread through casual contact, as respiratory infections often are. However, close contact with an infected person — particularly someone who is seriously ill or has died — can pose a significant risk.
Kenyan health authorities are focusing on identifying contacts, isolation and monitoring. Their aim is to determine whether the patient infected anyone during his journey or after arriving in the country.
The case also underscores the challenges created by cross-border movement in East Africa. People regularly travel between DRC, Uganda and Kenya for work, family and trade.
The outbreak in eastern DRC was declared in mid-May. Health officials believe the virus may have been circulating for months before it was officially detected.
More than 8,000 people have been infected and more than 4,000 have died in the outbreak, making it the second-largest Ebola epidemic in history.
Uganda also recorded 20 infections and two deaths earlier this year in connection with the virus crossing the border from DRC. After a period without new cases, the country was declared Ebola-free in August.
The outbreak is caused by the relatively rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus. There is currently no proven vaccine or specific treatment for this strain, making early detection, isolation and infection-control measures particularly important.
Kenya’s immediate priority is to establish how far the virus may have spread through contact with the patient, locate everyone potentially exposed and keep them under observation. Rapid contact tracing will be crucial in determining whether the infection remains an isolated case in the country or leads to further infections.
