Second Kenyan Dies of Ebola as Regional Toll Passes 4,000
The 65-year-old woman was a relative of the first victim, and health officials say the outbreak remains contained to a single family cluster.
By Luana Sato ·
A 65-year-old woman died on 13 October after being placed in quarantine, marking Kenya's second confirmed death from Ebola. The health ministry announced that the patient was a close family member of the first victim, a man who had traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo before falling ill in September.
The initial patient was treated at several hospitals in the DRC before arriving in Nairobi, where he died a few days later on 5 October. Since then, seven other individuals are being treated at two isolation facilities. These patients include three other relatives of the first victim, three health workers, and one hospital cleaner.
The ministry emphasized that all current cases belong to one cluster, with no evidence of community spread. The strain involved is the Bundibugyo species, which is relatively rare and has no approved vaccine or treatment, though trials are under way. The disease spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids and can lead to organ failure and bleeding.
Kenya's outbreak follows a larger crisis in the DRC, where more than 4,000 people have died since May. That country has reported more than 9,500 cases, making it the second most deadly Ebola outbreak on record. The International Rescue Committee states that Kenya faces a steady risk of new cases crossing its borders.
In response, Kenyan authorities have introduced enhanced screening for travelers arriving from the DRC and nine other high-risk countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Passengers must complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and present a QR code to port health officials upon landing. Aircraft from these nations are also subject to extra public health screening.
Uganda's health ministry announced on Friday that travelers who have visited the DRC will no longer be allowed to transit through the country. Meanwhile, a possible genetic link exists between the Kenyan outbreak and a confirmed case in Nigeria. Officials are examining whether the two patients crossed paths at Uganda's Entebbe airport earlier this month.
The United States has warned its citizens against traveling to Kenya, while neighboring Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia remain on alert. Prof Ali Pate, Nigeria's health minister, said there is no evidence the Kenyan patient traveled to Nigeria, but further testing is under way to determine the connection.
