Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced that 66 people who may have come into contact with Kenya’s first reported Ebola patient have been traced and are under quarantine at the National Police Service Hospital in Nairobi. Duale said the number of identified contacts could increase as health authorities continue tracing individuals who may have been exposed to the 40-year-old patient before his death. Speaking during an update on the outbreak, the CS said the government was working to establish everyone who may have come into contact with the patient to prevent further transmission. He noted that contact tracing was ongoing as health officials gathered additional information about the patient’s movements and interactions before his death.
Government Traces Jambojet Passengers
The Ministry of Health has also launched efforts to trace passengers who may have travelled aboard the Jambojet aircraft used by the patient after his arrival in Nairobi on October 2. According to Duale, the airline had provided details of 23 passengers and four crew members who were on one of the flights.
However, the government has requested records of other flights operated by the same aircraft between Saturday and Thursday to identify additional individuals who might have been exposed. Duale said the information would help health officials account for passengers and crew members who may have come into contact with the patient during the aircraft’s subsequent journeys.
Health Facilities Prepared to Handle Suspected Cases
The CS said the government had stepped up disease surveillance and screening as part of efforts to contain the outbreak. He added that isolation and quarantine facilities were operational, while healthcare workers had received training and protective equipment to manage any additional cases that might emerge. Duale also acknowledged support from international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), which had supplied 1,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The Government of India had also donated 6,000 PPE sets, with additional supplies being mobilised by the Kenyan government. The equipment is intended to support healthcare workers involved in screening, isolation, contact tracing and the management of suspected cases.
Duale Clarifies Patient’s Movements Before Arrival in Kenya
Duale also dismissed reports of a suspected Ebola case in Wajir and said authorities had established the route taken by the patient before entering Kenya. According to the CS, the patient travelled more than 3,000 kilometres through several locations before arriving in Nairobi. The patient was initially hospitalised in Buri before travelling to Kisangani and later flying to Beni. He subsequently travelled by road to Kinshasa before proceeding to Kampala, Uganda, where he spent the night.
Duale said the patient obtained his ticket on October 2 and departed Kampala for Nairobi on October 3. He explained that authorities had classified the case as imported because they had traced the patient’s travel history across the different locations.
Government Seeks to Reassure Kenyans
The government has sought to reassure the public and the diplomatic community that measures are in place to contain the outbreak following confirmation of the imported case. Authorities are continuing to trace contacts, strengthen surveillance and prepare health facilities to respond to any additional infections.
Duale’s remarks came a day after the United States advised its citizens to exercise caution while living in or travelling to Kenya following the reported Ebola death. The Ministry of Health continues to rely on contact tracing and surveillance to identify potential exposures and limit the risk of further transmission.
