Kenya has confirmed four new cases of Ebola, including three health workers who treated the first patient, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to seven, including the first patient who died.
In a press release dated October 17, the Ministry of Health said the new cases were detected at two quarantine sites. The patients include a close male relative of the deceased patient and three health workers who attended to him while he was in hospital.
“The Ministry of Health has confirmed four new Ebola cases, bringing the total to seven, including one death. All four were in quarantine when they developed symptoms and were quickly isolated. There is no evidence of community transmission, and contact tracing is ongoing,”the Ministry said.
All four patients initially developed fever and were immediately isolated before staff collected samples for testing. The samples tested 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 said the second and third patients were stable and responding well to treatment, adding that it would provide updates on the progress of all reported cases.
Also Read: WHO Stand on Lockdown as Kenya’s Ebola Cases Hit 3
Three Health Workers Test Positive for Ebola
According to the Ministry, the three health workers, two men and one woman aged 29, 35 and 32, respectively, treated the first patient between October 3 and 4.
They had been in quarantine since October 9 before testing positive for the virus.
The newly confirmed male relative had also been in quarantine since October 6 after being identified as a close contact of the first patient.
The Ministry said the early detection of the four cases helped limit the risk of further transmission to their families and the wider public, while improving their chances of survival.
128 Contacts Traced and Quarantined
The Ministry of Health said it traced and quarantined 128 of the 130 people listed as contacts of confirmed cases, representing 98.5 per cent.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining two contacts.
Health authorities are also closely monitoring four family members of the deceased first patient and health workers who cared for him during his hospital stay. People in quarantine continue to receive mental health and psychosocial support from healthcare teams.
The Ministry warned that additional cases could still emerge among quarantined contacts before the end of their 21-day monitoring period. However, it said it would promptly identify and treat anyone who develops symptoms.
Also Read: Kenya Confirms Second Ebola Case
Ministry Says Risk to Public Remains Low
The Ministry reassured Kenyans that the risk to the general public remained low, saying there is no evidence of community transmission.
It also said the country remained open for business, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings.
The government urged Kenyans to remain calm and vigilant as health teams work to contain the outbreak.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, a person who has died from the disease, or contaminated objects. It does not spread through the air.
People experiencing symptoms such as fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding have been urged to report immediately to the nearest health facility, particularly if they may have been exposed to the virus.
WHO Advises Against Lockdown After Kenya Confirmed Third Ebola Case
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised against closing borders or restricting trade as Kenya continues to manage the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.
In a statement on Friday, October 16, WHO said the second and third patients, a 39-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman, were close family members of the first patient. Both had been in quarantine and were being monitored daily before developing symptoms.
WHO said early detection of the two cases helped reduce the risk of further transmission.
At the time of the statement, Kenya had recorded three Ebola cases, including one death. The first patient, a Kenyan man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), died on the night of October 5.
The organisation said Kenya remained open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings. The Ministry of Health also reported no evidence of community transmission.
“WHO advises against closing borders or restricting trade. The Ministry of Health has confirmed that Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings,” stated WHO.
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