Kenyan officials have confirmed the first imported case of Ebola from Congo, marking Kenya as the latest country impacted by the rapidly spreading outbreak. Health Minister Aden Duale disclosed that a Kenyan national who arrived in the country from Congo via Uganda on Saturday had been quarantined and treated at Nairobi Hospital. The individual tested positive for Ebola and unfortunately passed away on Monday night.
Ebola is a highly contagious virus that spreads through contact with bodily fluids like blood, vomit, or semen, as well as contaminated surfaces and materials such as clothing and bedding. The current outbreak, which began in a remote area of eastern Congo in mid-May, has already recorded over 8,400 cases and more than 4,000 deaths, making it the most swiftly growing outbreak of the disease in history.
This marks the first instance of Ebola in Kenya, as stated by the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Authorities have identified or are tracing dozens of contacts related to the case. Minister Duale affirmed that Kenya is well-equipped to handle Ebola cases, having trained close to 5,000 healthcare workers nationwide on prevention and management protocols.
Kenya becomes the fourth country to report a case in the ongoing outbreak, with Uganda recording 20 cases and France one. Prior to Kenya’s confirmation, there were no active cases outside Congo following Uganda declaring its outbreak over in late August.
Kenyan health authorities have heightened surveillance at border points and are closely monitoring for any potential additional cases. Contacts of the patient, including family members and healthcare providers, are under observation. Additionally, 23 passengers who traveled on the same flight from Uganda are being traced for precautionary measures.
The patient, who had been residing in Congo for seven years, fell ill about a month ago and sought treatment at various hospitals before traveling to Nairobi. Contacts will remain isolated for 21 days and will be released upon testing negative for the virus. The patient will be buried within 24 hours in adherence to safety guidelines.
Minister Duale mentioned that Kenya had conducted 267 tests at five laboratories since May before detecting this first case. Meanwhile, in Congo, the outbreak has reached seven provinces, presenting challenging conditions for responders due to attacks on health teams, misinformation, failure to report symptoms, and rebel violence hindering access to treatment centers.
The outbreak in Congo, spanning Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces, is likened to battling a massive fire, with multiple outbreaks occurring simultaneously. Doctors Without Borders’ Stephanie Hoffmann described the situation as intense and widespread. The World Health Organization has cautioned that this outbreak could surpass the deadliest Ebola crisis in history, which occurred over a decade ago in West Africa and claimed around 11,000 lives.
