Kenya confirmed its first Ebola death as the outbreak spreads, with a man who had lived in Congo for seven years dying after traveling to Nairobi. The patient, who had been ill for a month, died days after arriving in the capital, prompting heightened border surveillance.
The man, who tested positive for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, was treated in Congo and Uganda before arriving in Kenya. He was isolated at Nairobi Hospital and died late Monday, with 28 contacts identified and 23 passengers on his flight being traced for potential exposure.
Health authorities are intensifying checks at airports and border crossings following the outbreak in Congo. The WHO reported over 4,000 deaths in DR Congo, with the current outbreak being the largest on record. Kenya has stepped up preparedness, with 5,000 health workers trained on infection control.
The patient may have passed screening due to medication masking symptoms, raising questions about border measures. Kenya and Uganda are working to contain the virus, with a high-level team dispatched to support response efforts amid challenges in Congo's war-torn regions.