Kenya Confirms First Ebola Bundibugyo Case and Death
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced that Kenya has recorded the first case and death of Ebola Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) disease, a severe and often fatal form of Ebola disease.
CS Duale said that the patient, a Kenyan citizen, arrived in Kenya on October 3 after living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years.
The Minister said that the patient fell ill about a month ago and was treated in several hospitals while still in DRC and later travelled from DRC to Kampala by road.
From Kampala, he boarded Jambojet flight 8523 and arrived in Nairobi.
Travel and Isolation
“He underwent the normal public health scrutiny at JKIA and was transported by a relative and friend from JKIA using KDG 699Z Toyota Fielder to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated in an emergency room,” Duale noted.
He was later transferred to the facility’s East Wing isolation facility, which was used during the Covid-19 pandemic, equipped with all necessary equipment and over 145 beds.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Medical tests showed that he presented with fever, intense fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing, sore throat and bleeding under the skin at the injection site.
“The doctors considered his case as that of a viral hemorrhagic fever and collected samples which turned positive for Ebola,” Duale noted.
The CS, however, noted that despite supportive treatment, the patient died on Monday at 11:30 pm.
Contacts Being Traced
The patient’s burial is planned for later today in line with Ebola public health protocols.
So far, the Ministry has listed 28 contacts who interacted with the deceased, and a further 23 passengers and four crew members from the flight are being pursued.
“Arrangements for a quarantine of those at risk have been prepared to protect the public,” he said.
What This Means for Kenyans
Ebola Bundibugyo virus is one of the known strains of the Ebola virus and can cause severe viral hemorrhagic fever. The Ministry of Health has urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with health authorities as contact tracing continues.
Health officials have emphasised that the risk to the general public remains low, provided the identified contacts are monitored and isolated as required.