Kenya Ebola cases rise to 8 as one more patient tests positive

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 — Kenya’s confirmed Ebola cases have risen to eight after one more person tested positive for the virus, a day after the Ministry of Health reported four new infections.

Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth said the latest patient is a 49-year-old man who developed fever, headache and muscle pain.

“Today we tested 38 persons; one turned positive — not a direct health care worker, a 49-year-old gentleman who developed symptoms of fever, headache, and muscle pain, and his test came out positive,” Amoth said Sunday night when he appeared at Citizen TV.

Amoth said that the patient has since been isolated.

The latest case brings the total number of confirmed infections to eight, following the detection of four new cases announced on Saturday, which raised the tally from three to seven.

The four cases reported on Saturday involved three health workers who had treated the first patient in hospital and a close male relative of the deceased index patient.

The three health workers, aged 29, 35 and 32, had been in quarantine since October 9, while the male relative had been isolated since October 6.

The Ministry has not provided further details on the latest patient’s exposure history or whether he was among the contacts already being monitored.

Despite the rising case count, the Ministry has maintained that the risk to the general public remains low, noting that the previous four patients developed symptoms while in quarantine, allowing them to be isolated and treated without exposing the wider community.

“The risk to the general public remains low as there is no evidence of community transmission of the disease,” Amoth said in Saturday’s statement.

The patients are receiving supportive care at a designated treatment facility, with health officials closely monitoring exposed individuals and continuing contact-tracing efforts.

Authorities had identified 130 contacts linked to the outbreak as of Saturday, of whom 128 had been traced and placed in quarantine. Efforts were ongoing to locate the remaining two.

The Ministry has warned that more cases could emerge among quarantined contacts before the end of the 21-day monitoring period.

Kenya’s second confirmed case was announced on October 14, involving a 39-year-old close relative of the first patient, who died from the disease.

The outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola that spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease.

The Ministry has urged Kenyans to remain vigilant and seek medical attention immediately if they develop symptoms such as fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding.

The government has also maintained that there are no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings.

Members of the public can obtain further information through the Ministry’s toll-free number, 719.

“Early reporting saves lives,” Amoth said.