OMM Newsroom
Kenya has confirmed a second Ebola case. Health authorities have stepped up measures to contain the virus since the country recorded its first case this month.
The Ministry of Health said the new patient is a 39-year-old relative of the first case. The person was quarantined before developing symptoms including fever, fatigue and joint pain, and was isolated as soon as signs of the illness appeared.
Health authorities said the two infections are linked and that there is currently no evidence of transmission beyond the known chain of contact.
The case has nevertheless raised concern in Kenya, where Ebola infections had not previously been confirmed. Kenya has become the fourth country to detect cases linked to the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 9,000 infections and over 4,000 deaths have been recorded in the Congo.
Kenya’s first Ebola patient died at a hospital in Nairobi on October 5. The patient had travelled from the Congo through Uganda before arriving in Kenya.
Reports that the infected person crossed into Uganda despite restrictions imposed because of the outbreak have raised questions about the effectiveness of border controls in the region.
Health authorities have launched a large-scale operation to identify people who had contact with the first patient. Officials said they had located 113 of 128 known contacts, 108 of whom are currently in quarantine.
Five contacts are outside Kenya, and the health authorities in the relevant countries have been notified, officials said. Efforts to locate the remaining contacts are continuing.
Investigations are also under way to identify people who had contact with the second patient. They include healthcare workers and staff at the quarantine facility.
Screening tightened at Nairobi airport
Health screening was tightened at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi after the first case was detected. A separate screening point has been set up for passengers arriving from the Congo and other areas that may be linked to the outbreak.
Health experts warn that Ebola can be difficult to detect in its early stages. Initial symptoms resemble those of other common illnesses. Taking fever-reducing medication before travelling can also make temperature checks less effective.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. The disease can cause severe symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and, in serious cases, internal and external bleeding.
The current outbreak in the Congo is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus. There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain.
Kenyan officials have urged the public to remain calm and vigilant as containment measures continue. They said the timely identification of the second patient, who was in quarantine, shows that the measures are working as intended. The coming weeks will determine whether Kenya can prevent the virus from spreading more widely.
