Kenya confirms third Ebola case in 65-year-old woman — Cyprus Mail
Kenya has confirmed a third case of Ebola virus infection. The infection was detected in a 65-year-old woman who, according to the authorities, is a close relative of the first two patients, Cyprus Mail reports.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health said that the woman had been in quarantine since October 6. After developing a fever, sore throat and general malaise, she was isolated and samples were taken for testing. According to the ministry, the infection was detected at an early stage and the patient is receiving supportive treatment.
Link to the outbreak in Congo
Kenyan authorities link the cases to the Ebola epidemic in Congo. According to the source, this is the second-largest recorded outbreak of the disease: the number of cases has exceeded 9,000, while more than 4,000 people have died.
The first patient in Kenya was a man who had been ill in Congo for about a month. He travelled by land to Uganda and flew to Nairobi on October 3. A relative took him to hospital, where the man died on October 5. The condition of the second patient was assessed as stable.
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Patient contacts in quarantine
The emergence of Ebola in Kenya has heightened concerns about the operation of the screening system. The first patient crossed the border between Congo and Uganda, which has been closed since May, and then passed through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
Kenyan authorities identified 130 people who had contact with the first patient. Of these, 127 have already been traced and placed in quarantine, while efforts were underway to locate three others. The Ministry of Health also said that there is currently no evidence of the disease spreading in the wider community.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, whether alive or deceased. The outbreak in Congo is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which, according to the publication, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
