Kenyan authorities have placed 10 people under quarantine after they came into contact with a man who died from Ebola in Nairobi, while efforts are underway to locate 57 additional individuals linked to the case.
The deceased Kenyan national had spent time in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before travelling through Uganda and arriving in Nairobi, where he died on Monday.
His death represents Kenya’s first confirmed Ebola case.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Jean Kaseya questioned how the patient managed to travel through several locations while reportedly experiencing illness for about a month without being identified.
According to Kaseya, the man travelled from Buta to Kisangani, flew to Beni, travelled by road into Uganda and later boarded a flight to Nairobi.
Kenyan Health Ministry official Patrick Amoth suggested that medication taken by the patient may have reduced or concealed symptoms during travel.
The development has renewed scrutiny of health checks at Kenya’s airports and border crossings.
Dr Dennis Miskellah, representing the country’s doctors’ union, said he had observed weaknesses at several entry points, including borders shared with Uganda and Tanzania and Nairobi’s main airport.
Kenyan officials have urged citizens to remain calm, saying stronger monitoring has been introduced at airports and crossing points.
President William Ruto’s administration says emergency response teams have been deployed to strengthen containment efforts.
Government figures indicate that more than 650,000 travellers have undergone screening, while 267 samples have been examined.
Four major hospitals have also been selected to care for suspected or confirmed Ebola patients.
The Africa CDC says the patient travelled through Uganda for less than a day.
Ugandan authorities said screening staff recorded a normal temperature before his departure and maintained that Uganda remained free of the virus after previously declaring an outbreak over in August.
Kaseya warned that relying solely on temperature checks has limitations because medicines can suppress fever. He also noted that rapid Ebola diagnostic testing is not currently available at border posts.
The current DRC outbreak involves the relatively uncommon Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no licensed vaccine or treatment, although clinical trials are ongoing.
Health authorities in Kenya are investigating the circumstances surrounding the infection together with Congolese officials and regional partners.
Kaseya said stronger cooperation among East African countries would be essential to prevent further transmission.
Meanwhile, concerns have resurfaced over a proposed Ebola treatment centre at a military facility in Nanyuki.
A court halted the US-backed project in June following public opposition.
Health Minister Aden Duale has since said the government is considering converting the site into a regional infectious-disease hospital.
Kenyan medical representatives have also raised concerns about travellers being expected to voluntarily disclose symptoms.
They argue that insufficient public education and fear surrounding Ebola may encourage some infected individuals to conceal their condition.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong