Kenya Reports First Ebola Case: What to Know About Bundibugyo Strain in Nairobi
NAIROBI — Kenya has confirmed its first-ever imported case of Ebola after a citizen who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) tested positive and subsequently died in Nairobi.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the diagnosis, stating the patient had lived in the DRC for seven years. The individual fell ill roughly a month ago before traveling by road to Kampala, Uganda, and flying into Nairobi on October 3.
Although the patient passed routine health screenings at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, he was later admitted to Nairobi Hospital, where he tested positive for the Ebola Bundibugyo strain and passed away Monday night.
Health authorities have already identified 28 close contacts, including family members and medical staff. Contact tracing is actively underway for 27 others, including 23 passengers and four crew members from the same flight.
Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth noted that Kenya is collaborating with Uganda and the World Health Organization (WHO) to mitigate community spread.
The DRC is currently battling its largest recorded Bundibugyo outbreak, with the WHO reporting 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths as of late September.
Duale stated that Kenya remains on high alert, having already screened over 652,000 travelers and trained nearly 5,000 healthcare workers to manage potential cases.
