Nairobi Hospital says Ebola patient was isolated from main facility

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 7 – The Nairobi Hospital has moved to reassure patients and staff that its operations remain normal after the death of a patient who tested positive for Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.

The patient died at the hospital on Monday evening, two days after being admitted to its isolation facility, the hospital said in a statement issued Tuesday.

The facility said the patient was managed by a dedicated clinical team in coordination with the Ministry of Health, but declined to disclose further details about the deceased in keeping with patient privacy.

The hospital said its Ebola isolation unit is physically separated from the main hospital and has a dedicated entrance, access route and staff.

“There is no shared clinical space with the main hospital, which has remained fully operational throughout,” the hospital said.

It added that emergency services, maternity, theatres, wards and outpatient services were continuing normally.

The hospital said infection prevention and control measures remained in place, with patients presenting an infectious disease risk identified through screening and managed under controlled isolation protocols.

Staff involved in the patient’s care worked while wearing full protective equipment and under supervision, the hospital said.

It further said all identified contacts were being monitored in coordination with the Ministry of Health for the required 21-day period.

The hospital said it would continue working with the Ministry of Health and other public health authorities and would implement any additional measures recommended by the government.

The statement comes as health authorities intensify contact tracing following Kenya’s confirmation of its first imported Bundibugyo Ebola case.

The patient had travelled into Kenya after spending time in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak was first reported, before travelling through Uganda and eventually arriving in Nairobi.

Health authorities are tracing people who may have come into contact with the patient, including healthcare workers and passengers who travelled on the same flight.

The Nairobi Hospital sought to reassure the public that the facility remains safe and operational.

“We want to reassure our patients, families, staff and the wider public that the hospital remains open, safe and fully operational, with appropriate measures in place to protect everyone who comes through our doors,” the hospital said.