WHO urges Kenya to avoid border closures, prioritise screening and contact tracing over Ebola

Nairobi, Kenya - The World Health Organization has cautioned Kenya against implementing border closures or blanket travel and trade restrictions following the confirmation of the nation's first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasized that such measures would prove less effective than screening travellers, identifying contacts, and bolstering other public health interventions.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, Tedros stressed that countries should concentrate on swift identification and containment of potential infections. He commended Kenya for its preparedness and prompt notification of the global health agency regarding the case. Kenya reported the case on Tuesday, following a Kenyan citizen who fell ill in the Democratic Republic of Congo and travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi.

The patient was promptly isolated upon arrival and later confirmed to have Bundibugyo virus disease, ultimately succumbing to the illness on Monday. Kenyan authorities are currently monitoring 55 contacts, including passengers and crew members who traveled on the same flight from Kampala to Nairobi. Despite concerns about potential further transmission due to the patient's journey through several countries, the WHO maintained that the immediate priority should be surveillance, contact tracing, and rapid identification of any additional infections.

Kenya had been on heightened alert prior to the case detection, given past outbreaks of Bundibugyo Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The WHO urged the Kenyan government to continue enhanced screening and surveillance at entry points while conducting contact tracing and monitoring exposed individuals. The organization supported Kenya's preparedness and rapid response, including timely reporting of the case and immediate isolation of the patient.