Kenya has recorded its first confirmed Ebola case, Health Minister Aden Duale said. The patient was a Kenyan citizen living in the Democratic Republic of Congo who arrived in Nairobi on Saturday.
According to Duale, the patient has died. So far, 28 close contacts have been identified, including family members and health care workers. The information was given at a press conference.
Congo is dealing with its largest Ebola outbreak to date, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain. The outbreak was declared in mid-May but may have begun months earlier and has not yet been brought under control.
The Central African country has recorded more than 8,000 infections and over 4,000 deaths. The outbreak previously spread to Uganda, with 20 infections and 2 deaths, though the World Health Organization declared Uganda Ebola-free in August.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, whether living or deceased. The disease can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
