Kenya has confirmed its first death from Ebola, after a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) for seven years died of the disease in Nairobi.
Kenya’s Health Minister, Adan Bare Duale, stated that the patient had been ill for nearly a month and had received treatment at several hospitals in the DR Congo before traveling to Kenya. The patient flew to Nairobi on Saturday and underwent routine screening at the city’s airport.
According to the minister, the patient was subsequently taken to a hospital, where he exhibited symptoms including fever, chills, fatigue and severe weakness, pain upon swallowing, muscle pain, and subcutaneous bleeding. Medical tests confirmed that he was infected with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The patient passed away on Monday night, and Kenyan health authorities stated that his burial is being conducted in accordance with public health safety protocols. Kenyan authorities have stated that at least 28 people—including the patient’s family members and healthcare workers—have been identified as having potentially come into contact with the patient. Efforts are also underway to trace 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight.
This case is raising fresh concerns across the East African region, as the Ebola outbreak spreads rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the current outbreak in the DRC has resulted in 4,082 deaths out of 8,463 confirmed cases.
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, such as blood or vomit. The Bundibugyo strain currently circulating in the DRC is a rare variant; reports indicate that there is currently no officially approved vaccine or treatment for this specific strain, although several vaccines are undergoing development and clinical trials.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned that the situation is deteriorating, noting that the disease is spreading rapidly across parts of eastern DRC. North Kivu province, which borders Ituri—where the disease first emerged—is reportedly now one of the areas experiencing a significant rise in cases.
Kenya’s Health Minister, Adan Bare Duale, has urged the public not to panic, stating that health authorities have taken the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the disease and that health workers have been instructed to specifically intensify infection prevention measures.
