Kenya announces second Ebola case, says 'no evidence' of wider spread

Kenya announces second Ebola case, says 'no evidence' of wider spread The patient is receiving treatment in isolation, while authorities have identified 128 contacts linked to the first case and traced 113 of them as part of efforts to contain the outbreak. NAIROBI: Kenya has recorded its second case of Ebola, the health ministry said Wednesday (Oct 14), saying there was "no evidence" of any large-scale transmission of the deadly virus. The country reported its first-ever Ebola death last week after a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died after returning to Kenya. The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May. The deadly disease has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years. "The Ministry of Health confirms a second case of Ebola," it said in a statement, adding the 39-year-old man was a close family member of the first victim and already in quarantine and being monitored when the virus was detected. It emphasised that such early detection "limits the chance of passing the virus to others", and that "there is no evidence of spread in the wider community". The individual was isolated "as soon as he developed fever, fatigue and joint pains", the ministry said, before being tested and found positive for the virus. "He is now in a designated treatment centre, where trained teams are giving him supportive care." The ministry said it had listed 128 contacts of the first case and had traced 113, as of Tuesday. The country reported its first-ever Ebola death last week after a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died after returning to Kenya. The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May. The deadly disease has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years. "The Ministry of Health confirms a second case of Ebola," it said in a statement, adding the 39-year-old man was a close family member of the first victim and already in quarantine and being monitored when the virus was detected. It emphasised that such early detection "limits the chance of passing the virus to others", and that "there is no evidence of spread in the wider community". The individual was isolated "as soon as he developed fever, fatigue and joint pains", the ministry said, before being tested and found positive for the virus. "He is now in a designated treatment centre, where trained teams are giving him supportive care." The ministry said it had listed 128 contacts of the first case and had traced 113, as of Tuesday. It said 108 were in quarantine in the country, while five were located outside Kenya, adding that health authorities in those countries had been notified. Officials are still working on tracing the remaining 15, the ministry said. The country has never previously reported a case. Neighbouring Uganda recorded 20 - almost all people who had travelled from the DRC - and two deaths, before being declared Ebola-free in August. Kenya's first victim was a national, who has not been named but was referred to as a 40-year-old businessman. He fell ill around a month ago and had been treated in the DRC, before travelling overland to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and flying into Nairobi on Oct 3. He was hospitalised in Nairobi, but later died on Oct 5, according to Health Minister Aden Duale. According to Congolese health authorities, the outbreak has infected 9,066 people so far and caused 4,381 deaths since the emergence in the DRC of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is still neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment. Officials are still working on tracing the remaining 15, the ministry said. The country has never previously reported a case. Neighbouring Uganda recorded 20 - almost all people who had travelled from the DRC - and two deaths, before being declared Ebola-free in August. Kenya's first victim was a national, who has not been named but was referred to as a 40-year-old businessman. He fell ill around a month ago and had been treated in the DRC, before travelling overland to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and flying into Nairobi on Oct 3. He was hospitalised in Nairobi, but later died on Oct 5, according to Health Minister Aden Duale. According to Congolese health authorities, the outbreak has infected 9,066 people so far and caused 4,381 deaths since the emergence in the DRC of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is still neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment. Source: AFP/fs