Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a Kenyan national who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) for seven years died in Nairobi.
Health Minister Aden Duale said the patient had been ill for about a month and received treatment at several hospitals in the DR Congo before travelling to Kenya.
According to the BBC, the patient travelled by road from the DR Congo to Kampala, Uganda, before taking a flight to Nairobi on Saturday.
The patient underwent routine screening at Nairobi’s main airport before being taken to a hospital by a relative.
The patient was initially admitted to Nairobi Hospital and later transferred to an isolation facility established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Duale said the patient experienced fever, chills, severe fatigue and weakness, painful swallowing, muscle pain and bleeding under the skin.
The symptoms are consistent with severe Ebola infection, which can cause serious illness and, in some cases, death.
The case has raised concerns about cross-border disease surveillance, particularly because the patient travelled through several healthcare facilities, Uganda and an international airport before the infection was confirmed.
Kenya’s first confirmed Ebola case and death is also putting attention on the country’s ability to detect and contain highly infectious diseases.
Authorities are expected to provide further information on contact tracing and other public health measures as investigations continue.
Health officials have urged the public to rely on official information for updates and guidance on the outbreak.
