Kenya confirmed its first case of Ebola – a Kenyan citizen who has been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the past seven years.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the patient, who fell ill a month ago, and was treated in several hospitals in DR Congo, died days after arriving in Nairobi.
Duale said the patient boarded a flight on Saturday and underwent normal public screening at the main airport in Nairobi before he was transferred by a relative to a hospital in the city.
Tests conducted confirmed positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus.
CS Duale said that the patient, a Kenyan citizen, arrived in Kenya on October 3 after living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for 7 years.
The Minister said that the patient fell ill about a month ago and was treated in several hospitals while still in DRC and later travelled from DRC to Kampala by road.
From Kampala, he boarded Jambojet flight 8523 and arrived in Nairobi.
“He underwent the normal public health scrutiny at JKIA and was transported by a relative and friend from JKIA using KDG 699Z Toyota Fielder to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated in an emergency room,” Duale noted.
He was later transferred to the facility’s East Wing isolation facility, which was used during the Covid-19 pandemic, equipped with all necessary equipment and over 145 beds.
Medical tests showed that he presented with fever, intense fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing, sore throat and bleeding under the skin at the injection site.
“The doctors considered his case as that of a viral hemorrhagic fever and collected samples which turned positive for Ebola,” Duale noted.
The CS, however, noted that despite supportive treatment, the patient died on Monday at 11:30 pm.
The patient’s burial is planned for later today in line with the Ebola public health protocols.
So far, the Ministry has listed 28 contacts who interacted with the deceased, and a further 23 passengers and four crew members from the flight are being pursued.
“Arrangements for a quarantine of those at risk have been prepared to protect the public,” he said.
More than 4,000 people have died from Ebola in DR Congo this year, in what is the second most deadly known outbreak of the disease.
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