NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 9 – Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has confirmed that a patient in Wajir County who was being assessed for a possible Ebola infection has tested negative for the virus but positive for malaria.

📻 Breaking It Down

Duale said the patient had been started on antimalarial medication on Thursday night after test results confirmed malaria, easing concerns over a possible second Ebola case in Kenya.

This comes as health authorities maintain heightened surveillance following the confirmation of Kenya’s first imported case of Ebola Virus Disease in a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years.

The patient died on October 6 while receiving treatment in Nairobi.

📌 What You Need to Know

The Wajir patient’s negative result is a significant development in the country’s ongoing efforts to identify and investigate suspected Ebola infections amid heightened regional vigilance.

The patient had been receiving medical attention at Habaswein Sub-County Hospital in Wajir South, prompting health officials to investigate the possibility of Ebola following an assessment of his condition and travel history.

Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi announced on Thursday that preliminary laboratory results from samples sent to the National Public Health Virology Laboratory in Nairobi had ruled out Ebola Virus Disease.

The governor said the county government, working with the Ministry of Health, would continue monitoring the patient and providing appropriate medical care.

He also urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information that could cause unnecessary fear and panic.

Duale’s latest update that the patient tested positive for malaria provides a diagnosis to guide his treatment.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya