Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola barely two weeks after a businessman died of the virus following a trip to the East African country from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).
The country’s health ministry said on Wednesday that the patient, a 39-year-old man, is a close relative of the first case and had already been quarantined.
The ministry, however, added that there was no evidence of wider spread in the community.
“Both cases are linked, and there is no evidence of spread in the wider community,” it stated.
According to the ministry, early detection of the patient’s illness had improved his chances of recovery and reduced the risk of him transmitting the virus to others.
“The public should stay calm but vigilant. Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings,” it added.
The 40-year-old Kenyan man, who died on October 5, was diagnosed with Ebola shortly after being admitted to a hospital in Nairobi.
The ministry said the victim had been in contact with 128 people, adding that 113 of them had been traced, while 108 had been quarantined.
More than 4,000 people have been killed by the deadly virus, which has ravaged DR Congo in the past few months.
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