The Ministry of Health has raised its level of preparedness against the Ebola outbreak in the country amid thousands of deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Principal Secretary for the State Department of Public Health, Mary Muthoni, confirmed that Kenya is at 81 per cent readiness to respond to a potential outbreak of the deadly disease.per cent

In a statement on Tuesday, August 18, Muthoni confirmed that the country has not yet recorded any cases of Ebola but remains on high alert for a potential outbreak.

She further revealed that, so far, the country has recorded 196 suspected alerts, all of which have turned out negative.

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At the same time, the ministry has secured and distributed more than 15,000 units of personal protective equipment and other infection prevention supplies, including sanitiser, thermometers and biosafety equipment, particularly in high-risk areas.

The United States government recently announced an additional Ksh31 billion (USD242 million) to support immediate Ebola response and preparedness in Africa, including strengthening Kenya's health system against the virus.

According to the Trump administration, the fund was intended to support surveillance and detection, isolation and treatment of Ebola patients, screening at borders and points of entry, strengthening of health facilities and laboratories, and community engagement to counter misinformation surrounding the outbreak.

The move comes as DRC is hit by the virus outbreak, with reports indicating that one person succumbs every 30 minutes to the virus.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke