Kenya confirms first Ebola case imported from Congo and says patient has died

Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola, a disease imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the patient subsequently succumbing to the illness, according to health minister Aden Duale. The individual, a Kenyan citizen who had resided in the DRC, arrived in Nairobi on Saturday. Duale disclosed at a press conference that 28 potential contacts, encompassing family members and medical personnel, have been identified thus far.

The DRC is currently grappling with its most extensive Ebola outbreak to date, attributed to the rare Bundibugyo strain. This outbreak, declared in mid-May, might have been underway for several months prior and has eluded containment measures thus far. To date, the DRC has reported over 8,000 cases and more than 4,000 fatalities associated with this outbreak.

Although the Ebola outbreak initially surfaced in the DRC, it later spread to Uganda, where 20 cases and two deaths were recorded. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Uganda Ebola-free in August. Ebola transmission occurs through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, either living or deceased. The disease can manifest through symptoms such as fever, nausea, diarrhea, and in severe instances, internal and external bleeding.