Kenya has confirmed its first-ever Ebola case after a Kenyan national who had returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo died in Nairobi, health authorities announced on Tuesday.
How the case unfolded
Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale said the patient had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for several years and had fallen ill about a month ago, receiving treatment at several hospitals there before travelling. He travelled by road from the Congo to Uganda's capital, Kampala, and then boarded a flight to Nairobi on October 3.
At Nairobi's airport he passed routine public health screening. Health authorities later explained that medication he was taking probably masked his symptoms as he walked through the checkpoint. A relative drove him from the airport to Nairobi Hospital after he became sicker, and tests confirmed he had the Ebola Bundibugyo strain. He died on October 5.
The response so far
Authorities have quarantined eight of the patient's family members and 21 healthcare workers. They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who were on his flight from Uganda. The traced contacts will remain in isolation for 21 days and may leave if they show no symptoms.
Screening has been intensified at all Kenyan airports, and the Africa CDC said it is sending a high-level team to Kenya. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the WHO is supporting Kenya and Uganda and recommended against any travel restrictions on affected countries.
Why it matters
This is the first case in the current outbreak in which an Ebola death has occurred outside the country where the outbreak is centred. The Democratic Republic of the Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May; according to The Hindu, more than 8,300 cases have been confirmed and over 4,000 people have died, making it the country's deadliest outbreak. Uganda earlier reported 20 cases and two deaths but was declared Ebola-free by the WHO in August.
The Bundibugyo strain involved in this case has no approved vaccine or specialised treatment, though human vaccine trials began in July.
Sources:
The Hindu: Ebola death recorded in Kenya after victim travelled from DRC
The Straits Times: Kenya confirms first imported Ebola case
How the case unfolded
Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale said the patient had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for several years and had fallen ill about a month ago, receiving treatment at several hospitals there before travelling. He travelled by road from the Congo to Uganda's capital, Kampala, and then boarded a flight to Nairobi on October 3.
At Nairobi's airport he passed routine public health screening. Health authorities later explained that medication he was taking probably masked his symptoms as he walked through the checkpoint. A relative drove him from the airport to Nairobi Hospital after he became sicker, and tests confirmed he had the Ebola Bundibugyo strain. He died on October 5.
The response so far
Authorities have quarantined eight of the patient's family members and 21 healthcare workers. They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who were on his flight from Uganda. The traced contacts will remain in isolation for 21 days and may leave if they show no symptoms.
Screening has been intensified at all Kenyan airports, and the Africa CDC said it is sending a high-level team to Kenya. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the WHO is supporting Kenya and Uganda and recommended against any travel restrictions on affected countries.
Why it matters
This is the first case in the current outbreak in which an Ebola death has occurred outside the country where the outbreak is centred. The Democratic Republic of the Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May; according to The Hindu, more than 8,300 cases have been confirmed and over 4,000 people have died, making it the country's deadliest outbreak. Uganda earlier reported 20 cases and two deaths but was declared Ebola-free by the WHO in August.
The Bundibugyo strain involved in this case has no approved vaccine or specialised treatment, though human vaccine trials began in July.
Sources:
The Hindu: Ebola death recorded in Kenya after victim travelled from DRC
The Straits Times: Kenya confirms first imported Ebola case
