NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 6 – Kenya on Tuesday confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus, triggering public concern over how easily the deadly disease can spread.

📻 Breaking It Down

The Ministry of Health said the patient, a Kenyan who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years, travelled by road from the DRC to Kampala before boarding Jambojet flight J8523 to Nairobi on Saturday, October 3.

He was taken directly from JKIA to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated and later transferred to an isolation facility. He died on Monday night.

The government has identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, while efforts are underway to trace 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight.

📌 What You Need to Know

But as Kenyans worry about possible exposure, one question is dominating conversations: Can Ebola spread through ordinary contact?

Ebola is not an airborne disease like flu or COVID-19. Simply sitting beside an infected person does not normally expose you to the virus. Transmission occurs when a person comes into direct contact with infected blood or other body fluids, or objects contaminated with such fluids. World Health Organization

A normal handshake does not automatically mean you will catch Ebola.

The risk becomes serious if an infected person’s body fluids are involved and the virus enters through broken skin or the eyes, nose or mouth.

WHO advises people to avoid physical contact with people suspected or confirmed to have Ebola. World Health Organization

Ordinary sharing of food is not considered a typical route of transmission. The major concern is exposure to infected body fluids.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya