Kenya: Ebola Update - 46 Contacts Set for Release Tuesday, Five Patients Await Second Tests
[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The government is expected to release 46 people who have been under quarantine over the Ebola outbreak on Tuesday,, as it intensifies diplomatic efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to lift travel restrictions imposed on the country.
NAIROBI, Kenya - The Kenyan government plans to release 46 people from quarantine on Tuesday as part of their efforts to control the Ebola outbreak, according to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale. This release follows the 21-day monitoring period, provided the contacts remain symptom-free. Additionally, the government anticipates that five out of the seven patients currently receiving treatment will be discharged on the same day after a second negative Ebola test result.
The five patients had already tested negative once and were scheduled to be tested again on Monday, November 2. Since the start of the outbreak, 66 people have been released from quarantine, bringing the total to this number. Kenya has identified and traced all 135 contacts linked to the initial imported case, with 118 placed under quarantine.
The country has reported nine confirmed infections, including two deaths, all linked to a Kenyan national who traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo via Uganda. No new confirmed infections have been reported since October 19, and there is no evidence of transmission beyond the identified cluster. Kenya has been intensifying diplomatic efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to lift travel restrictions imposed on the country on October 30 due to concerns about the Ebola outbreak.
Saudi Arabia's restrictions, which include barring Kenyan citizens from traveling to Saudi Arabia and suspending the issuance of visas to Kenyan travelers, have been described as disproportionate by Kenya's Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The government has urged Riyadh to review and lift the measures immediately, providing scientific justification within 48 hours.
The restrictions could significantly impact various groups, including Kenyan migrant workers, travelers, students, businesspeople, tourists, and religious pilgrims. Saudi Arabia maintains that its decision was based on epidemiological assessments to prevent the virus from spreading across its borders, but the Kenyan government remains concerned about the economic implications of the restrictions.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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