Gov’t issues directive following Ebola outbreak

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Medical workers handling a corpse in Guinea during a previous Ebola Outbreak which claimed more than 11,000 people in Guinea,Liberia and Sierra Leone PHOT;O FILE

The ministry of health has issued an alert to all counties across the country following reported Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Uganda.

Outgoing Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, said the move follows an alert forwarded by the Ugandan government to Kenya.

The Ebola outbreak was detected in Ngabano Village of Madudu Sub County in Central Uganda.

According to Kagwe, the victim, a 24-year-old male who died on 19th September 2022, had been treated for other symptoms before developing Ebola like symptoms and signs.

“Health officials in Uganda are currently conducting contact tracing to identify any close contacts of the deceased. Six suspicious prior deaths are currently under investigations,” added Kagwe.

As part of the interventions put in place by the Kenyan government, all county administrations have been urged to remain vigilant and enhance surveillance especially at the border, activate rapid response teams to support identification of any suspected cases and make prompt reporting, screen at risk populations including travellers, truck drivers, bush meat handlers and healthcare workers as well as sensitize the community to identify suspected cases’ he added.

Signs to look out for include; vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pains, headache, sore throat, measles like rash, red eyes as well as bleeding from body openings.

The government has advises Kenyans to notify the nearest health facility or administrative officers like assistant chiefs or call hotline numbers 0729 47 14 14 or 0732 35 35 35.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe and often fatal illness in humans caused by Ebola virus. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.

courtesy of MOH

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