Kenya confirms second Ebola case in relative of first patient
Kenya has confirmed a second Ebola case in a 39-year-old relative of the country’s first patient, who died on October 5. The man developed symptoms while in quarantine and is receiving treatment. Health officials say the cases are linked, with no evidence of wider community spread.
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Second patient in treatment
Kenya’s health ministry confirmed a second Ebola case on Wednesday, involving a 39-year-old man who is a close family member of the country’s first patient. He was already in quarantine when he developed fever, fatigue and joint pains on October 13.
Health officials isolated him immediately, and samples tested positive at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the KEMRI-CDC laboratory. He was transferred to a designated treatment centre for supportive care.
The ministry said both confirmed cases were linked and there was no evidence of wider community spread. It said early detection and isolation had helped limit the risk of further transmission.
Contact tracing continues
Authorities identified 128 contacts of the first patient and had traced 113 by October 13. Of those traced, 108 were in quarantine in Kenya for 21 days of daily clinical and temperature checks, while five were outside the country and relevant health authorities had been notified. Efforts to locate the remaining 15 continued.
Health teams were also assessing people who may have encountered the second patient after his symptoms began, including quarantine personnel and health workers. The ministry said infection-control measures had been strengthened at quarantine and treatment facilities, and health workers had been provided with protective equipment.
First case raised screening concerns
The first patient, a 40-year-old Kenyan man, had been ill in the Democratic Republic of Congo before travelling by road to Uganda and flying to Nairobi on October 3. He died in a Nairobi hospital on October 5.
His journey raised concerns about border screening. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reconstructed his movements and identified missed opportunities to detect the infection at Congolese medical facilities and during airport screening.
Separately, Laikipia County authorities said two suspected Ebola cases in Nanyuki tested negative. One of those patients died while receiving treatment, but laboratory findings ruled out Ebola in both cases.
Public health advice
The health ministry said Ebola is not airborne and spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died. It urged anyone with fever, unusual fatigue, muscle or joint pains, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding to seek medical attention promptly.
Kenya remains open, with no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings, the ministry said. It urged people to rely on official updates, respect the affected family’s privacy and call the toll-free number 719 for information.
