- Kenya has confirmed four more Ebola cases, bringing the total to seven, including the first patient who died
- Health officials have traced 128 of 130 contacts, with two people still being sought
- The ministry says the risk to the general public remains low, with no evidence of community transmission
Kenya has confirmed four additional Ebola cases, bringing the total number of infections to seven, including the first patient who died, as the Ministry of Health steps up measures to contain the outbreak.
Source: UGC
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 17, Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth said the latest cases involved a close male relative of the first patient and three healthcare workers who treated him while he was hospitalised.
The three healthcare workers, comprising two men and one woman aged 29, 35 and 32, respectively, developed symptoms after attending to the initial patient between October 3 and 4.
According to the ministry, the relative had been in quarantine since October 6, while the three health workers were placed in quarantine on October 9.
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All four patients initially developed fever and were isolated before samples were collected for laboratory testing. Their results returned positive for Bundibugyo virus disease at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) laboratory.
The patients are receiving supportive care at designated treatment facilities. The Ministry added that the second and third patients reported earlier were stable and responding well to treatment.
How is Kenya containing the Ebola outbreak?
Amoth said the early identification of the latest infections had been aided by quarantine measures, which helped limit potential exposure among family members and the wider public.
“The risk to the general public remains low as there is no evidence of community transmission of the disease,” the Ministry stated.
The ministry reported that health teams had traced 128 of the 130 identified contacts, representing 98.5 per cent, and placed them in quarantine. The figure exceeds the 85 per cent global contact-tracing benchmark cited by the Ministry as important in interrupting transmission.
Efforts are continuing to locate the two remaining contacts, while health workers monitor those in quarantine throughout the 21-day observation period.
The ministry cautioned that more cases could emerge among people already under observation during this period. However, it said anyone who develops symptoms would be identified and treated promptly.
Four family members of the deceased patient, alongside healthcare workers who attended to him during his hospital stay, are also under close monitoring.
What should Kenyans know about Ebola?
Despite the increase in confirmed infections, the Ministry maintained that Kenya remains open for business, with no restrictions imposed on travel, trade or public gatherings.
It urged the public to remain calm while observing health precautions, explaining that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected or deceased person and not through the air.
People experiencing symptoms such as fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding have been advised to report immediately to the nearest health facility.
"If you or anyone you know has fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained bleeding, report it at once at the nearest health facility," Amoth warned.
The ministry continues to monitor contacts and manage confirmed patients as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
Source: TUKO.co.ke