Kenya confirms four new Ebola Bundibugyo cases, taking the total to seven, including one death, as authorities intensify contact tracing and quarantine efforts…reports Africa Daily News Desk
Kenya has confirmed four new cases of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to seven, including one death, as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent community transmission.
The four new cases involve a close male relative of the first patient, who died after contracting the virus, and three health workers who treated him in hospital, according to a statement issued by Kenya’s Ministry of Health in Nairobi on Saturday.
Patrick Amoth, director-general for health at the ministry, said all four patients initially developed fever before being isolated and tested. Laboratory tests confirmed that they had contracted Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease.
“All four individuals developed fever as their first symptom and were immediately isolated, with specimens collected for testing,” Amoth said.
“All four tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute laboratory,” he added.
The patients are receiving supportive care from trained healthcare workers at designated treatment facilities. The ministry said the early identification of the infections and the isolation of the patients were helping to reduce the risk of further transmission.
Authorities have stressed that there is currently no evidence of community transmission, while contact tracing and quarantine measures continue.
“The Ministry wishes to reassure Kenyans that the risk to the general public remains low, as there is no evidence of community transmission of the disease,” Amoth said.
Kenya reported its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on 6 October. The patient was a man who had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for seven years before the infection was identified.
He died in a Nairobi hospital while receiving treatment. Authorities subsequently arranged a safe and dignified burial at a public cemetery as part of efforts to prevent further spread of the virus.
The second case was reported on Wednesday and involved a 39-year-old man who was a close relative of the first patient. Kenya announced its third case on Friday, involving a 65-year-old woman who was a primary contact and a close relative of the first two patients.
The latest four infections bring the confirmed total to seven, including the initial fatal case. The new cases also highlight the importance of monitoring family members and healthcare workers who may have been exposed to an infected person.
According to the ministry, the three healthcare workers had attended to the first patient during his hospital stay. They had been placed in quarantine before their infections were confirmed.
Health authorities have identified 130 people who may have come into contact with the first patient. Of these, 128 had been traced and placed in quarantine as of Saturday, while efforts continued to locate and monitor the remaining two contacts.
Those in quarantine are being monitored throughout the 21-day incubation period, during which symptoms may develop following exposure to the virus. Authorities have said that additional cases among quarantined contacts remain possible until the monitoring period ends.
The ministry is also monitoring four family members of the deceased patient and healthcare workers who treated him in hospital. People in quarantine facilities are receiving mental health and psychosocial support alongside medical monitoring.
Early detection, isolation and contact tracing remain central to the government’s response. Health officials are urging anyone who develops symptoms associated with Ebola to seek medical attention promptly and report to the nearest health facility.
Despite the outbreak, Kenya remains open for business, with no restrictions imposed on travel, trade or public gatherings, according to the Ministry of Health.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm and vigilant while the government works to contain the infections. The ministry has also emphasised that Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected or deceased person, rather than through the air.
People experiencing fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding have been advised to report to the nearest health facility immediately.
The ministry has asked the public to obtain accurate information through its official website and social media channels. A toll-free health helpline, 719, is available for information and guidance.
Kenya’s immediate priority remains identifying potential infections, monitoring exposed individuals and preventing the outbreak from spreading beyond the people already identified. Health authorities are continuing to provide updates as the response progresses.
