WHO urges vigilance after Kenya confirms second Ebola case

The patient, a 39-year-old man, was a relative of Kenya’s first case – linked to the ongoing deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – who died in hospital on October 5.

He was among the contacts placed in quarantine and developed symptoms on October 13.

‘We all have a role to play’

“I congratulate the Government for taking this important step to ensure that contacts are registered and quarantined,” WHO Representative Dr. Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo UN News in Nairobi, a day after the Ministry of Health confirmed the new cases.

“But to defeat this disease, it’s not about the government, it’s not about partners. It’s about everyone,” he stressed. “We all have a role to play and if each of us plays our part, then we should be able to contain this disease and stop its spread in society..”

Cast a wide net

the first in Kenya Ebola The patient and fatality was a local man who had lived in Congo, where a record outbreak continues to spread in the eastern region.

He arrived in Nairobi via Uganda on October 3 and died in hospital two days later.

Kimambo praised health authorities for “casting the net as wide as possible” to identify people who had been in contact with him – both in the air and on the ground.

The more than 40 people included airline passengers and crew, aircraft cleaners, airport workers, baggage handlers and immigration officers, as well as health workers and family members.

Most are in quarantine, while some low-risk contacts have self-quarantined and are being monitored. Meanwhile, every effort continues to be made to reach six passengers who are difficult to find because they have foreign telephone numbers.

Increase preparedness

Even before the first cases emerged, WHO and the Kenyan government had stepped up preparedness for Ebola after an outbreak was declared in Congo in May. Nearby Uganda also faced the disease, and any outbreak was officially ruled out in late August.

The team is working in all areas, including surveillance and contact tracing. WHO has also brought in senior incident managers who participated in Uganda’s Ebola response, as well as other experts.

“We are continuing the work we started at the preparedness stage, so case management and IPC (infection prevention and control) are critical. currently in a quarantine center,” said Dr. Kimambo.

WHO also continues to provide assistance to Kenya in various other ways. The UN agency has donated $70,000 worth of supplies, including IPC and laboratory equipment, since the first Ebola cases were identified.

Besides that, more than 4,000 health workers have been trainedincluding for film screenings at ports of entry.

Keep borders open

Although Dr. Kimambo said travel restrictions or closures of state borders were still not necessary, underscoring the importance of proper screening to identify travelers who may pose a health risk.

Ebola prevention begins with understanding how the disease is transmitted, he said, namely through contact with the body fluids of infected people.

He again appealed to always wash your hands regularly, use hand sanitizer, and avoid shaking hands.

Because Ebola symptoms include fever, vomiting and diarrhea – which are similar to symptoms of malaria and other diseases – he stressed the need to seek immediate medical care. In the meantime, Kenyans are urged to remain calm and stay safe.

“I think we don’t need to panic too much and be too afraid because we have no community spreadhe said. “But two, let us be responsible. Whoever is sick, make sure we go to a health facility and get treatment. And also, let’s make sure that we take IPC action.”