Kenya Reports First Ebola Case Following Death of Returnee from DRC

Kenya has recorded its initial case of Ebola after a Kenyan national who had recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) passed away in Nairobi. Health authorities confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday, marking the first time the virus has been detected within the country’s borders.

According to Health Secretary Aden Duale, the patient resided in the DRC for seven years and had been experiencing illness for approximately one month prior to his journey. He traveled by road from eastern Congo to Kampala, Uganda, before flying to Kenya on Saturday.

Officials have identified 28 close contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who attended to the patient. Additionally, tracing efforts are underway for 23 other passengers who were on the same flight from Uganda. Patrick Amoth, the director-general of the Ministry of Health, stated that all identified contacts will remain in isolation for 21 days. They will be cleared for release only after testing negative for the virus.

The incident occurs against the backdrop of a severe outbreak in neighboring DRC, which is currently the country’s 17th epidemic. Official figures released on Friday indicate that more than 4,000 people have died and 8,300 cases have been confirmed across seven provinces since the outbreak was declared on May 15. Health experts describe this as the worst Ebola epidemic in the nation’s history.

The World Health Organization has cautioned that the situation is “far from over” and warned that the death toll could exceed the 11,000 fatalities recorded during the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. Meanwhile, Uganda, which reported 20 cases and two deaths earlier in the year, was officially declared Ebola-free in August.