MoH suspends hotel meetings over Ebola

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 10 – The Ministry of Health has suspended meetings, seminars and conferences scheduled to take place in hotels following confirmation of Kenya’s first imported Ebola case, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s preparedness against the deadly virus.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed to Capital News the suspension of the meetings.

The decision comes days after Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease, raising concerns about the risk of further transmission and prompting intensified contact tracing and surveillance.

Kenya confirmed its first imported case on October 6 after a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years travelled to Nairobi while ill.

According to the Ministry of Health, the man travelled by road to Kampala, Uganda, before boarding Jambo Jet flight 8523 to Nairobi on October 3.

He was taken to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated and tested after presenting symptoms that included fever, chills, fatigue, muscle pain, a sore throat and bleeding under the skin at injection sites.

Laboratory tests confirmed the infection. The patient later died on October 5, according to the World Health Organization.

Health authorities have since launched contact-tracing efforts to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus during the patient’s journey and treatment.

Duale has said Kenya is not experiencing a wider Ebola outbreak, describing the confirmed case as an imported infection from the DRC.

The government has intensified surveillance, contact tracing and preparedness measures as health officials work to prevent further transmission.

The Ministry has identified 57 contacts linked to the case, according to its October 7 update. Ten had been accounted for and placed under quarantine at the National Police Service Hospital in Nairobi, while efforts to trace the remaining contacts continued.

Authorities have also identified designated facilities to isolate and manage suspected or confirmed cases.

The World Health Organization is supporting the response as Kenya and neighbouring countries monitor possible links to the ongoing outbreak in the DRC.