US Embassy issues Ebola alert as Kenya traces 28 contacts

Jukwaa

📻 Breaking It Down

The alert came as Kenyan health authorities stepped up contact tracing after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) travelled by road to Uganda before flying to Nairobi on October 3 aboard Jambojet flight JM8523.

“The Government of Kenya reported a case of Bundibugyo virus disease (‘Ebola’) on October 6. Health officials are conducting contact tracing of the patient,” the US Embassy said in its alert issued on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Health information cited by the embassy, the traveller crossed from the DRC into Uganda by land before taking the Jambojet flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

📌 What You Need to Know

The World Health Organization said the patient fell ill while living in the DRC and received treatment at several health facilities before travelling by road to Kampala through Beni on October 2.

The patient arrived in Nairobi the following day and was taken to a hospital, where they were isolated. Samples tested positive for Bundibugyo virus at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.

The patient died on the night of October 5 and was buried on October 6 in accordance with Kenya’s Ebola safe and dignified burial protocol, the WHO said.

The WHO said Kenyan health authorities had so far identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who cared for the patient.

Authorities are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same flight from Uganda to Nairobi, with follow-up and quarantine arrangements being made for people assessed to have been at risk.

The WHO said the Government had strengthened surveillance and response measures, including screening at high-risk points of entry, contact listing and monitoring, case investigation and risk communication.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

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