Kenya Confirms First Ebola Case After Kenyan Citizen Dies in Nairobi Hospital

• Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale confirmed the country's first Ebola case, involving a Kenyan citizen who had been living in DR Congo for seven years
• The patient travelled by road to Kampala before boarding a flight to Nairobi, passing standard screening at the airport on arrival
• At least 28 contacts have been identified, including family members and healthcare workers, as authorities trace dozens more from the same flight

Kenya has recorded its first confirmed case of Ebola after a Kenyan national who had been residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo for seven years died at an isolation facility in Nairobi late on Monday.

Health Minister Aden Duale disclosed that the patient had fallen ill approximately one month ago and received treatment at multiple hospitals in DR Congo before making the journey to Kenya.

The patient died at 23:30 local time (20:30 GMT) on Monday, and burial arrangements were scheduled for Tuesday in accordance with public health safety protocols.

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According to Duale, the patient first travelled overland from DR Congo to Kampala, Uganda's capital, before boarding a flight to Nairobi on Saturday.

Upon arrival at the main airport in Nairobi, the patient underwent routine public health screening without being flagged, and was subsequently taken by a relative to a hospital in the city.

BBC reported that the patient was later transferred to an isolation facility that had been constructed during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was there that doctors observed symptoms including fever, chills, intense fatigue, weakness, painful swallowing, muscle pain and bleeding under the skin.

"Doctors suspected a viral haemorrhagic fever based on his symptoms and travel history and collected samples for testing. The sample tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus," Duale said.

Bundibugyo Species With No Approved Vaccine

The strain involved is the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, a relatively rare variant for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 4,082 deaths from 8,463 cases since this particular species emerged.

The broader outbreak in DR Congo has been ongoing since May, claiming more than 4,000 lives this year in what ranks as the second deadliest known Ebola outbreak in history. The virus briefly crossed into Uganda, where two people died, but WHO declared Uganda free of the disease in August. All subsequent cases have been confirmed within DR Congo.

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Kenyan health authorities have so far identified at least 28 contacts, comprising family members and healthcare workers who came into proximity with the patient. Efforts are also underway to trace an additional 23 passengers and four crew members who shared the flight with the deceased.

SABC to Ghana over Ebola report

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on the inaccurate news ticker aired by South Africa's public broadcaster SABC News, which claimed Ghana had recorded a significant number of Ebola infections and deaths.

This misleading report prompted a swift denial from Ghana's Ministry of Health, underscoring the critical importance of accurate information during public health crises.

The incident not only sparked public concern but also shed light on the broader challenges of misinformation in the age of social media, where unverified claims can escalate quickly.

Source: YEN.com.gh