Kenya is monitoring 57 people linked to its imported Ebola case as the government steps up surveillance at entry points, strengthens contact tracing and prepares health facilities to respond to any further infections, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said.
Duale said more than 652,000 travellers had been screened at 15 Points of Entry, while 4,971 health workers had received training on Ebola preparedness and response as part of measures to contain the disease.
The CS spoke on Thursday during a high-level briefing with members of the Diplomatic Corps, international organisations and development partners on the country’s preparedness and response following confirmation of an imported Ebola case from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The patient died on October 6, but Duale said the death of the patient did not, by itself, point to wider transmission of the disease in Kenya.
“Kenya remains safe, open and vigilant,” he said, adding that the response was being guided by “verified epidemiological data, scientific advice and established public health protocols”.
Duale said contact tracing had been stepped up after the case was confirmed, with the 57 people under monitoring comprising passengers, crew members and others who were linked to the aircraft.
The government has also set aside isolation, treatment and quarantine facilities with a combined capacity of 241 beds as part of its preparedness measures.
A total of 268 samples have so far been tested through Kenya’s laboratory network, with results being returned within about six to 12 hours, according to Duale.
He said the National Incident Management System had been in operation since May, keeping both national and county emergency response structures on high alert.
“The contact tracing effort is now focused on identifying people who may have been exposed, monitoring them for 21 days and isolating anyone who develops symptoms,” Duale said.
The case was detected after a doctor noticed bleeding at a needle site on the patient and raised suspicion of a possible haemorrhagic fever, prompting further investigation.
The Ministry of Health received a preliminary positive laboratory result at about 1pm on Sunday. The ministry’s Rapid Response Team then contacted the hospital and organised for a sample to be collected for testing.
“The laboratory analysed the sample within about six hours,” Duale said.
He attributed the early response to the medical team’s “high index of suspicion” and the rapid laboratory testing, saying both “made a difference”.
Following the diagnosis, the hospital reviewed the patient’s movements and identified health workers who had come into contact with him. The patient’s family also provided information about his recent movements and people he had interacted with.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, screening has been tightened, with passengers arriving from the DRC and several other countries being directed through Gate 16 for additional checks.
The government is also tracking the monitoring periods for people who may have been exposed to the patient at different stages of his movement and treatment.
The 21-day monitoring period for passengers who may have been exposed on October 3 is expected to end around October 24. For health workers who treated the patient up to October 5, the monitoring period will run until about October 26.
Ebola is spread through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. The disease can take up to 21 days to develop after exposure.
Duale said Kenya would maintain coordination with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as part of the regional response.
He also called on the public and international community to depend on verified health information and follow established public health guidance as authorities continue to monitor the situation.