Kenya had recorded nine cases of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus, including one death, as of 20 October, the World Health Organization said in its 23 October update. The good news, for now: all eight cases since the first were among people already known to have been in contact with that first patient. WHO said there was no evidence of wider community transmission as of 20 October.
How it reached Nairobi
The first patient was a Kenyan citizen who had been living in DR Congo. He fell ill there and was treated at several health facilities before travelling by road through Beni to Kampala on 2 October and flying to Nairobi the next day.
He was taken to hospital in Nairobi and quickly isolated. Tests at the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute both confirmed the virus. Despite treatment, he died on the night of 5 October and was buried the next day under Kenya’s safe and dignified burial rules. Kenya notified WHO on 6 October.
Tracing every contact
WHO says it is helping Kenya track and monitor contacts, investigate cases, screen travellers at high-risk entry points and keep communities informed. Keeping new cases within that known circle of contacts is now the key to stopping the outbreak from spreading.
The scale is very different across the border. DR Congo has recorded 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths.
Related reporting: DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak spreads to eight provinces as many die at home; Nigeria confirms first imported Ebola case in Abuja.
