Kenya says it has traced 97 per cent of people who came into contact with its Ebola patients, as the Ministry of Health intensifies surveillance and steps up preparedness at border crossings to prevent further transmission of the Bundibugyo virus.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said surveillance had been extended beyond people already in quarantine to identify possible infections early and prevent the virus from spreading into communities.
“Our surveillance efforts are also being extended beyond those already in quarantine to ensure that any possible chain of transmission is identified early and contained,” she said.
Muthoni said the government had also urged county governments to establish quarantine facilities as a precaution in case the outbreak is not contained.
She added that protective equipment was being prioritised for high-risk regions, particularly counties bordering neighbouring countries.
“We are also prioritising the distribution of protective equipment to high-risk regions, particularly those around our points of entry,” she said.
The Ministry has urged the public to observe basic hygiene, avoid direct contact with suspected or infected patients and report suspected cases through its emergency hotline, 719. Muthoni also called on Kenyans not to panic, saying early detection was critical.
The ministry’s update comes as Kenyan and Ugandan port health teams assess preparedness at Busia, Malaba and Lwakhakha border crossings, which are considered strategic points for detecting and preventing cross-border transmission.
The exercise, supported by the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) under the World Bank-funded Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Programme, is being conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s Division of Port Health Services, with the International Organization for Migration as a partner.
The teams have reviewed national preparedness and conducted on-site assessments to identify gaps in screening, surveillance, referral procedures and emergency response.
ECSA-HC Director General Dr Ntuli A. Kapologwe said border crossings were critical in preventing the virus from spreading between countries.
“Ebola can cross a country, and a continent, in days, by road and by air. A Point of Entry is the first line of defence, and it is only as strong as the people, procedures and information flows behind it,” he said.
The assessments form part of a seven-point regional preparedness package covering readiness assessments, simulation exercises, harmonised operating procedures, event-based and digital surveillance, infection prevention and control, and laboratory readiness.
Kenya National Public Health Institute Head of Disease Surveillance Dr Daniel Lang’at said prevention remained central to containing the outbreak.
“If we focus on preventing the disease, this is our priority now we can be able to contain the virus. We believe this package that has been launched today will support our efforts as a country,” he said.
Kenya has so far confirmed nine cases and two deaths linked to the outbreak, while 211 people are reported to be in isolation. The findings from the border assessments are expected to guide further improvements in screening, surveillance and response along the Kenya-Uganda corridor.
