Kenya on High Alert as Ebola Cases Rise in Neighbouring Countries
KENYA Ramping up Ebola precautions following those new outbreaks next door in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – and health officials moving fast to stop it from ever making it into the country.
Health Minister Aden Duale said theyve activated extra watchful eyes over the whole country – enhanced disease monitoring and emergency response teams are being put on high gear in response to the latest outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola out in the region.
Its a bit of a worry for East African countries – especially those with lots of traffic in and out in the way of trade and transport – as the latest news has put the region on high alert.
Border Monitoring Intensified as Risk Remains High
In a statement Friday (I think that was the day), Duale pointed out that Kenya is still pretty vulnerable because there is so much coming back and forth across the borders, whether its for trade, just visiting, or transporting cargo.
The Health Ministry is trying to reassure everyone that theyre in control, but at the same time they arent taking any chances.
“Kenya’s risk of getting hit with Ebola is still pretty high right now because so many people are crossing back and forth all the time,” the Ministry said in a statement relaying the efforts theyre taking to stop the virus getting a foothold.
The Ministry has amped up the health checks at border crossing points, made their monitoring systems faster and more efficient and got some new rapid response plans in place in case someone comes in with the virus.
Travellers From DRC Tested After Hospital Visits
The heightened state of alert was triggered after 3 people who recently came from the Democratic Republic of Congo went to the hospital with some symptoms.
Even though it turned out they didnt have Ebola – just something else entirely – the Health team still took them in and ran some tests and all 3 of them came back clean.
They also ended up testing the 4 other people who were with them when they first came in – just to be safe – and they were all clear too.
The Ministry says this shows off their preparedness – and that theyre serious about finding out if anyone in the country has Ebola early on.
Government Seeks to Reassure Public
Even with a sense of unease out there in the region, Duale said that so far – no one in Kenya has come down with Ebola.
The Ministry is saying that Kenyans should stay calm but also keep paying attention to the good advice theyre getting from the health teams – especially if youve been to an area with Ebola or just generally coming from somewhere where you might have picked something up.
Theyre also reassuring everyone that Kenyas got everything they need to handle any kind of outbreak – and that they can get experts in to manage things if they do happen.
Duale went on to say that Kenyas Public Health Act has got a strong framework for handling disease outbreaks – and that theyll do whatever it takes to keep people safe and sound.
Regional Outbreak Sparks Fresh Concern
The scary thing about infectious diseases like Ebola is how fast they can spread – especially when there are lots of people and goods and services moving in and out of the region.
Kenya is staying on high alert – and checking in on people who might have come in from the DRC, or catching transport through areas with Ebola.
Right now though it looks like the plan is one of vigilance – with the key being to be super fast at spotting any problems – and then dealing with it before it gets a chance to take off in the country.
Kenya on High Alert as Ebola Cases Rise in Neighbouring Countries
