Kenyan authorities have confirmed the first case of imported Ebola from Congo, marking Kenya as the latest country impacted by the rapidly spreading outbreak. Health Minister Aden Duale disclosed that a Kenyan citizen who arrived from Congo via Uganda on Saturday had been isolated and treated at Nairobi Hospital. The individual tested positive for Ebola and passed away on Monday.
Ebola, a highly contagious virus, spreads through contact with bodily fluids like blood, vomit, or semen, as well as contaminated surfaces such as clothing and bedding. The current outbreak, declared in mid-May after months of spread in eastern Congo, has seen over 8,400 cases and 4,000 deaths, making it the fastest-growing outbreak in history.
Kenya, previously unaffected by Ebola outbreaks according to the Kenya Medical Research Institute, is now monitoring numerous contacts identified or under tracing. Minister Duale assured that Kenya is well-equipped to handle Ebola cases, having trained around 5,000 health workers nationwide in prevention and management.
This marks the fourth country to report an Ebola case in the ongoing outbreak, following Uganda with 20 cases and France with one. Prior to Kenya’s report, there were no active cases outside Congo since Uganda declared its outbreak over in late August.
Kenyan health authorities have heightened surveillance at border points and are vigilant for any potential additional cases. As part of the response, 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, have been identified, while 23 passengers from the same flight from Uganda are undergoing tracing efforts.
The patient, who had lived in Congo for seven years and fell ill a month ago, traveled to Nairobi via Kampala and will be buried within 24 hours following safety protocols. Contacts will remain isolated for 21 days and released upon testing negative for Ebola. Kenya had conducted 267 tests across five labs since May before detecting this first case.
In Congo, the outbreak has reached seven provinces, presenting challenges like attacks on health teams, misinformation, failure to report symptoms, and rebel violence hindering access to treatment centers. Doctors Without Borders likened the situation to fighting a massive fire, with outbreaks intensifying in various locations simultaneously. The World Health Organization has cautioned that this outbreak could surpass the deadliest Ebola crisis in history, which claimed around 11,000 lives in West Africa over a decade ago.