NAIROBI, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Tuesday confirmed its first case of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, in a patient who has since died, prompting the government to heighten vigilance amid an ongoing outbreak in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale confirmed that the case involved a Kenyan national who had been residing in the DRC for the past seven years.
"The patient fell ill about a month ago and received treatment at several hospitals in the DRC. He travelled by road to Kampala (Uganda) before boarding a flight to Nairobi, arriving Oct. 3," Duale said at a press conference in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
He said that the patient presented with symptoms including fever, chills, fatigue, muscle pain, painful swallowing, a sore throat, and subcutaneous bleeding before being admitted, isolated, and evaluated at a hospital in Nairobi.
Laboratory analysis conducted by Kenya's National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) confirmed the presence of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the patient died on Monday night and was buried on Tuesday in line with the country's Ebola safe and dignified burial protocol.
The Ministry of Health has identified 28 contact persons, comprising family members and healthcare workers who attended to the patient, and is currently tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who traveled on the same flight.
Duale assured the public that Kenya has strong systems to contain the virus.
He urged citizens to remain calm, rely on official Ministry of Health updates, and seek immediate medical attention if they experience any symptoms.
The official said Kenya has maintained heightened Ebola surveillance since the outbreak began in the DRC in May.
As of Oct. 6, health authorities have screened 652,584 incoming travelers and processed 267 samples across five reference laboratories, with only the single confirmed positive case to date.
In addition, he highlighted that 4,971 healthcare workers across national and county levels have undergone specialized training in Ebola prevention, infection control, and case management.
Patrick Amoth, Director-General for Health in Kenya's Ministry of Health, explained that the incubation period for Ebola ranges from two to 21 days.
Consequently, individuals undergoing quarantine or contact monitoring are isolated for up to 21 days to prevent potential transmission.
"If anyone develops symptoms within this period, the person will be transported from the incubation site to an Ebola treatment unit for care," he said as he elaborated Kenya's preparedness.
Ahmed Idris, Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society, confirmed that the charity has activated its specialized Safe and Dignified Burial (SDB) teams, community engagement units, and community-based surveillance volunteers to support the national emergency response.
Regional airline Jambojet, which operated the flight that carried the patient from Entebbe, the airport serving the Ugandan capital Kampala, to Nairobi, said it is working closely with the Ministry of Health, port health services and aviation authorities to assist with contact tracing and response measures.
Korir Sing'Oei, Kenya's principal secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, described the confirmed Ebola case as regrettable, noting that it underscores the strength and necessity of the containment capabilities established by the government to handle public health emergencies.
Kenya's Ministry of Health confirmed it has formally notified WHO of the case in compliance with International Health Regulations (IHR).
WHO declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC and in Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in May, calling for international coordination and resource mobilization.
According to the health agency, the outbreak continues to unfold against a complex epidemiological and security backdrop marked by population mobility, cross-border trade, and large displaced communities.
As of Oct. 2, the DRC's Ministry of Health reported more than 8,000 confirmed cases and at least 4,000 fatalities linked to the Bundibugyo strain, with transmission primarily concentrated across the DRC and neighboring regional trade corridors. ■
