The United Kingdom has urged its citizens planning to travel to Kenya to reconsider their trip and those living in the country to exercise caution after the nation confirmed its first imported case of Ebola.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a statement on Wednesday, October 7, British citizens travelling to Kenya for essential reasons and those already in the country were told to follow the Kenyan government's guidance and monitor Ebola developments.

The U.K. government said Kenya was implementing measures to contain the disease, including contact tracing, surveillance, border screening and quarantine arrangements for people considered at risk.

“The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to parts of Kenya,” the advisory read in part.

📌 What You Need to Know

It further warned that travellers arriving in Kenya, particularly those coming from Uganda, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), could face enhanced health screening measures.

The latest update follows Kenya's confirmation of its first imported case, a 40-year-old Kenyan man who had lived in the DRC for about seven years.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday, October 6, said the man had fallen ill about a month before returning to Kenya and had sought treatment at several hospitals in the DRC.

He later travelled by road to Kampala, Uganda, before boarding a Jambojet flight to Nairobi on Saturday, October 3, and was subsequently taken to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated.

The patient later developed symptoms including fever, fatigue and bleeding under the skin before dying at about 11:30pm on Monday, October 5.

The Ministry of Health has since intensified contact tracing, with health officials identifying contacts linked to the deceased and pursuing passengers and crew members who travelled on the same flight.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke