Kenya confirms first Ebola case after patient dies as Congo outbreak spreads

Kenya confirms first Ebola case after patient dies as Congo outbreak spreads Kenya’s Health Ministry has confirmed the country’s first imported Ebola case - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of Ebola linked to the ongoing outbreak in Congo, health officials announced on Tuesday. Health Minister Aden Duale stated that a Kenyan national, who travelled back to the country on Saturday from Congo by way of Uganda, was placed in isolation at Nairobi Hospital. The individual subsequently tested positive for the virus after exhibiting symptoms of haemorrhagic fever. Despite receiving medical care, the patient died with the illness late on Monday evening. In response, medical authorities have placed the country on high alert as they monitor for potential further infections. According to Duale, 28 individuals who came into contact with the deceased - including relatives and medical staff - have been located. Officials are also attempting to track down a further 23 passengers who shared the flight from Uganda. These contacts must undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine period, with the ministry’s director, Patrick Amoth, confirming they will only be discharged once tests confirm they are free of the virus. To minimise infection risks, the victim will be buried within 24 hours following strict public safety protocols. Kenya becomes the fourth nation to detect a case during the latest surge, which initially began in eastern Congo in mid-May. Previous international cases included 20 in Uganda and one in France, though no active transmissions had been reported outside Congo since Uganda declared its outbreak over in late August. The current epidemic is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record. The World Health Organization has warned it risks becoming the deadliest as it continues to outpace containment efforts. The infection stems from the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which no licensed vaccine or treatment exists. Clinical trials for prospective therapies are presently under way in Congo's Ituri province, the epicentre of the emergency. It was confirmed last week that Congo’s Ebola outbreak has now recorded more than 4,000 deaths, with authorities struggling to contain the spread of the virus. Figures released by the health ministry last Thursday showed that 4,018 people have died from among 8,300 confirmed cases, making up for nearly half of the confirmed cases in what has become history’s fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak.