Kenya Confirms Eighth Case In Ebola Outbreak, Patients Respond To Treatment
Kenya has reported an eighth confirmed case of Ebola as the country continues to address the ongoing outbreak. Patrick Amoth, the Director-General for Health, announced the development on Sunday in Nairobi after one of 38 tests conducted returned a positive result.
The latest patient is a 49-year-old man who was accompanying an Ebola patient at a healthcare facility. Amoth noted that the man exhibited symptoms including fever, headache, and muscle pain.
“Today, we tested 38 persons; one tested positive. The individual is not a direct healthcare worker but rather a patient attendant who developed symptoms,” Amoth stated.
In line with the ongoing treatment efforts, Amoth reported that the seven previously confirmed patients are receiving monoclonal antibody therapy and are showing positive signs of recovery. He highlighted the progress of a 65-year-old female patient, who has returned to independent eating after experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. Additionally, three staff members at the Nairobi Hospital isolation center remain stable.
In response to the outbreak, Kenya has also received supplementary medication from Rwanda to enhance its health response efforts.
The current outbreak began earlier this month when an infected traveler from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who had entered through Uganda, died in Nairobi on October 5. Health authorities have identified 130 contacts linked to this outbreak, with 128 individuals successfully traced and placed under quarantine.
Authorities continue to engage in rigorous surveillance, testing, and contact tracing to mitigate the spread of the disease.
