Kenya has recorded its second Ebola-related death, with seven other patients receiving treatment as authorities intensify efforts to contain the country’s first-ever outbreak of the disease.
The Ministry of Health said the latest victim was a 65-year-old woman who was a close relative of the first victim, a man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The woman, who was placed in quarantine, developed symptoms on October 13 and later died, the ministry said.
It said that ‘the seven patients receiving treatment were being managed at two isolation facilities.’
According to the Ministry, all confirmed cases remain within one cluster, with no evidence of community transmission.
The first death was recorded on October 5 after a man who fell ill in September received treatment at several hospitals in the DRC before travelling to Nairobi, where he died days later.
The seven patients still receiving treatment include three relatives of the first victim, three health workers and a hospital cleaner.
The outbreak has prompted heightened surveillance in Kenya and neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia, while the United States has warned its citizens against
Travelling to Kenya.
Ebola is a rare but potentially fatal viral disease that spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials. Symptoms may include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, and severe cases can lead to organ failure and bleeding.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although clinical trials are ongoing.
The International Rescue Committee has warned that Kenya remains at risk of additional cases crossing its borders, noting that the DRC has recorded more than 9,500 cases in the outbreak.
To strengthen prevention efforts, Kenya has introduced enhanced screening for travellers arriving from the DRC and nine other countries considered at high risk: Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Travellers from the affected countries are required to complete a digital health surveillance form before boarding their flights and present a QR code to port health officials on arrival.
Authorities have also stepped up public health screening of aircraft arriving from the listed countries to prevent further imported cases.
The government however, is intensifying public awareness campaigns, urging residents to report suspected cases promptly and seek medical attention at health facilities.
BBC
