Kenya discharges its last Ebola patient and begins 42-day countdown
If no new cases emerge, the country could declare its outbreak over on December 23. The epidemic remains active in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kenya discharged its last patient being treated for Ebola on Wednesday and is preparing to count 42 days without new cases before it can declare its outbreak over. The milestone comes as the epidemic caused by the Bundibugyo virus continues in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, where thousands have died.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the last 11 contacts under surveillance also completed their monitoring and returned home on November 11. For the first time since Kenya confirmed its first case, the country has no patients in treatment and no contacts in quarantine, the organization said.
The countdown begins on November 12. If no new infection is recorded during that period, Kenya can declare the outbreak over on December 23, Health Minister Aden Duale said. Forty-two days is twice the virus’s maximum incubation period.
The last patient’s discharge is a milestone in the health response, but it does not mean the outbreak is formally over. During the next six weeks, surveillance and rapid detection will remain essential in case new infections emerge.
Nine linked cases
Kenya confirmed its first case on October 6. According to WHO, the person had returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda. Authorities identified 135 close contacts in Kenya and abroad.
Eight other people subsequently tested positive: four relatives of the first patient and four healthcare workers who treated him before Ebola was suspected. All eight were already in quarantine when they became ill, WHO said, and the organization has found no evidence of transmission outside that group.
Nine cases were confirmed in total. Two people died and the other seven recovered. The last case was confirmed on October 19, and no new infections have been recorded since, according to the organization’s statement.
Contact tracing identifies people who may have been exposed, monitors their health during the incubation period and enables a rapid response if symptoms appear. Together with diagnosis, isolation and medical care, it aims to interrupt potential chains of transmission.
The epidemic continues in Congo
Kenya’s situation contrasts with that of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where transmission continues. Congolese authorities reported 11,042 cases and 5,387 deaths since the outbreak began, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday. Those figures refer to Congo, not Kenya.
In its November 6 report, WHO said the outbreak had spread across eight Congolese provinces and that armed conflict, difficulties reaching affected areas and healthcare constraints were complicating the response. It also called for continued cross-border surveillance and diagnostic capacity.
The disease spreads through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids of infected people, or with contaminated materials. WHO says incubation can last from two to 21 days and infected people are not contagious before symptoms appear. Fever, fatigue and muscle pain can resemble symptoms of other illnesses, making laboratory testing necessary to confirm a diagnosis.
WHO says there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. Candidate vaccines are under study; supportive care and early detection are part of the health response.
