Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said all eight surviving Ebola patients in Kenya are improving and remain stable under treatment as health authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak.
In an update shared on Wednesday, Duale said 134 of the 135 identified contacts had been traced and quarantined, representing 99.3 per cent of the total.
The update came a day after Kenya confirmed its ninth Ebola case, with the Ministry of Health reporting that all cases belong to one known cluster and that there was no evidence of transmission beyond the group.
The latest patient, a 24-year-old man and close family member of the first case, tested positive on October 19 after developing symptoms while already in quarantine.
Health Director General Patrick Amoth said the patient was isolated at the first sign of illness and immediately started treatment after confirmation of the infection.
“Our patients are improving and responding well to treatment,” Amoth said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
He said all eight surviving patients were receiving supportive care and had improved markedly, with their conditions stable under close observation and treatment.
The outbreak has claimed one life, the index patient, while the other eight confirmed patients continue receiving care.
The Ministry of Health said the first group of contacts, who entered quarantine on October 6, would complete their mandatory 21-day monitoring period and begin returning home from October 25, provided they remained symptom-free.
The ministry appealed to communities to welcome those completing quarantine and avoid stigmatising them.
“Having completed 21 days without symptoms, they pose no risk of infection to anyone,” Amoth said.
Contact tracing has continued as response teams identify people who may have interacted with newly confirmed patients.
The ministry said the number of contacts could increase as more cases are confirmed and their contacts added to the tracing list.
Authorities have also strengthened preparedness by distributing protective equipment and other response supplies to 12 very high-risk and 16 high-risk counties.
The supplies include protective gowns, gloves, face shields, boots, sample collection and transport kits, diagnostic kits and thermometers.
A dedicated laboratory has also been established at the Kenyatta National Hospital Infectious Disease Unit to handle routine tests for patients receiving Ebola care, reducing the risk of disrupting other laboratory services.
The government has received 500 doses of medicines to support treatment of confirmed cases, with Amoth thanking partners for their assistance.
Health authorities said infection prevention and control measures were being monitored continuously at quarantine and treatment centres to protect health workers and prevent further spread.
The government has maintained that it has imposed no restrictions on travel, trade or public gatherings.
People experiencing symptoms such as fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding have been advised to seek immediate medical attention or call the toll-free number 719.
Kenya’s response teams continue surveillance and contact tracing as authorities work to contain the outbreak.
