Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a man who travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Uganda tested positive for the virus and later died, Health Minister Aden Duale said.
Speaking at a press conference, Duale said 28 people who had been in contact with the patient have so far been identified, including family members and healthcare workers.
He said only one test had returned positive so far and confirmed that it was the case under investigation.
The patient, whose identity was not disclosed, became ill about a month ago and received treatment in the DRC. He later travelled by road to Uganda’s capital Kampala before flying to Nairobi on October 3.
After arriving in Kenya, he was screened and tested positive for Ebola. Duale said the patient died at around 11:30pm the previous night.
The minister urged the public to remain calm, saying health authorities had activated measures to prevent further transmission of the virus.
Kenya had never previously reported an Ebola case. Earlier this year, public opposition emerged over government plans to establish an Ebola treatment facility at Laikipia Air Base, located around 200 kilometres from Nairobi.
The DRC is currently dealing with its largest Ebola outbreak, caused by the relatively rare Bundibugyo virus. The outbreak was officially declared in May but is believed to have begun several months earlier.
More than 8,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths have been reported in the DRC during the outbreak, which has presented challenges for containment efforts.
The outbreak also spread to Uganda, where authorities recorded 20 cases and two deaths. The World Health Organisation declared Uganda free of Ebola in August.
Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa over the past five decades. The virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, including those who have died from the disease.
Symptoms can include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, while severe cases may result in internal or external bleeding.
