The Ministry of Health has directed County Governments for urgent preparedness and response measures to prevent possible cross-border transmission of the Ebola Virus.
Although the country has not registered any Ebola case, Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the Ministry has heightened surveillance and is closely monitoring the outbreak reported in Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern Ituri province and Uganda.
“The Ministry of Health wishes to assure all Kenyans that, as of today, no confirmed or suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease has been detected within the Republic of Kenya,” said PS Muthoni.
“However, owing to the significant movement of persons and goods within the East and Central African region, all County Governments are hereby directed to immediately activate and enhance preparedness and response measures,” she added.
The new directives issued to County Governments include the surveillance activities at all points of entry and in counties with high cross-border movement and international travel.
The ministry, further, directed the activation and sensitization of County Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) for prompt investigation and containment of suspected cases.
Others directives are the training of healthcare workers on Ebola case identification, case management, IPC measures, safe burials, and reporting protocols and preparation of isolation facilities and treatment centres within counties.
Latest reports from Africa CDC, a total of 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara Health Zones, while additional suspected cases have been identified in Bunia Town pending confirmation.
Laboratory investigations conducted by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa confirmed Ebola virus infection in 13 out of 20 tested samples, with at least four deaths occurring among laboratory-confirmed cases.
