Kenya reports 1st Ebola case as patient dies after arriving from DR Congo

Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo died following his arrival in Nairobi, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said Tuesday.

“The Ministry of Health wishes to inform members of the public that it has confirmed the first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease,” Duale said.

The man had lived in Congo for the past seven years and became ill about a month before returning to Kenya, according to the Health Ministry. He received treatment at several health facilities in Congo before traveling by road to neighboring Uganda.

He later flew from Uganda to Kenya aboard a Jambojet flight carrying 23 passengers and landed at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at about 1.10 pm local time (1010GMT) on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The patient underwent routine public health screening at the airport before proceeding through immigration, according to the ministry.

Relatives and friends then drove him directly from the airport to Nairobi Hospital, where he was immediately placed in isolation.

The patient subsequently tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and died.

28 contacts identified

Health authorities have identified 28 people who had contact with the deceased, including family members and health workers, as officials move to prevent further transmission.

The patient’s journey through Congo and Uganda, his commercial flight to Nairobi and subsequent contact with relatives and medical personnel are now part of the government’s contact-tracing operation.

Kenya had already strengthened disease surveillance at airports and land border crossings in response to the Ebola outbreak in Congo, including measures to improve screening, laboratory capacity and preparedness at health facilities.

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person or through contaminated materials.

Health authorities are monitoring the identified contacts for symptoms as surveillance continues following confirmation of the country’s first imported case.