Kenya confirms ninth Ebola case as 134 contacts quarantined

Ministry of Health said the patient was isolated at the first sign of illness and immediately started treatment after testing positive.

Kenya has confirmed one additional case of Ebola, bringing the total number of infections to nine, with the Ministry of Health saying all cases are linked to one known cluster and there is no evidence of transmission outside the group.

The latest case involves a 24-year-old man who is a close family member of the first patient, who died. The man was already in quarantine when he developed symptoms and tested positive on October 19.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth said the patient was isolated at the first sign of illness and immediately started treatment after testing positive.

“The new case is a known contact of the index case and was already in quarantine when he fell ill,” said Amoth.

He added that all nine cases remained within one cluster, with no evidence of further spread beyond the group.

The ministry said the eight surviving patients were responding well to treatment and remained stable under close medical observation.

“Our patients are improving and responding well to treatment,” Amoth said, adding that the government had received 500 doses of medicines to support the treatment of confirmed cases.

The ministry also reported progress in contact tracing, saying 134 of the 135 identified contacts, representing 99.3 per cent, had been traced and quarantined.

“This progress reflects the dedication of our national and county contact-tracing teams, closer cooperation with families and communities, and the support and solidarity of our development partners,” Amoth added.

The government has distributed protective equipment and other response supplies to 12 very high-risk and 16 high-risk counties to strengthen surveillance, testing and the management of suspected cases.

The supplies include protective gowns, gloves, face shields, boots, sample collection and transport kits, diagnostic kits and thermometers.

A dedicated laboratory has also been established at the Kenyatta National Hospital Infectious Disease Unit to handle routine tests for patients under Ebola care and prevent disruption of other laboratory services.

At the same time, the ministry said infection prevention measures remained in place at quarantine and treatment centres, with no reported spread within quarantine facilities.

“There has been no spread of infection within quarantine facilities, and every health worker caring for patients is fully protected,” Amoth said.

Contacts who entered quarantine on October 6 and remain well are expected to complete their 21-day monitoring period and begin returning home from Sunday, October 25.

The ministry urged communities to welcome those completing quarantine, saying individuals who have completed the monitoring period without symptoms pose no risk of infection to others.

“Having completed 21 days without symptoms, they pose no risk of infection to anyone,” Amoth said.

The government said there were no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings, while urging Kenyans to continue following public health guidance.

Anyone experiencing fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding has been advised to seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health facility or call the toll-free line 719.

“Together, we are on course to bring this outbreak to a complete end,” Amoth said.