Counties to work with MoH to contain Ebola spread, equip isolation centres — CoG

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 7 – Counties will work closely with the Ministry of Health to strengthen Kenya’s response to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Council of Governors (CoG) vice chair Muthomi Njuki has said.

Njuki said county governments would support national efforts to prevent further transmission of Ebola by strengthening preparedness, equipping isolation centres and ensuring adherence to basic public health protocols.

The commitment comes after Kenya confirmed its first imported Ebola case, involving a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for several years and later died after testing positive for the virus.

Speaking on the government’s response to the case, Njuki said counties would coordinate with the Ministry of Health to ensure that facilities at the county level are adequately prepared to detect, isolate and manage suspected cases.

He said the devolved units would also reinforce preventive measures, including hygiene protocols and surveillance, as health authorities continue tracing people who may have been exposed to the deceased patient.

Njuki said counties would prioritise the equipping of isolation centres as part of efforts to ensure suspected Ebola cases can be promptly separated from other patients while awaiting testing and further medical assessment.

The move is expected to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to respond to suspected cases outside the main referral hospitals and designated national treatment centres.

County health departments will also work with national health officials to enhance surveillance and ensure suspected cases are identified and referred appropriately.

The CoG leadership said the county governments would continue supporting measures aimed at preventing the virus from spreading within communities.

Njuki said counties would also enforce basic health measures designed to minimise the risk of Ebola transmission.

These include hand hygiene, appropriate infection prevention and control measures in health facilities, safe handling of suspected cases and heightened vigilance among healthcare workers.

The measures come as Kenya intensifies surveillance and contact tracing following the confirmation of the imported case.

The national government has said eight family members of the deceased have been placed under quarantine and are undergoing daily monitoring, while 21 healthcare workers who attended to the patient have also been quarantined.

Authorities have further traced 27 passengers who may have come into contact with the deceased while travelling on the same flight into Kenya.

The government said as of October 6, Kenya had screened 652,584 travellers and tested 267 samples in five laboratories.

The laboratories include the National Virology Reference Laboratory, KEMRI facilities in Nairobi and Kisumu, and mobile laboratories deployed at the Busia and Lwakhakha border points.

According to State House, only one of the 267 samples tested positive for Ebola — the sample belonging to the deceased patient.

No additional positive cases have been detected so far.

The government has also trained 4,971 healthcare workers at national and county levels on Ebola prevention, detection and management.

Kenya has designated several facilities to manage suspected and confirmed Ebola cases.

They include Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, National Police Hospital and The Nairobi Hospital, alongside county isolation centres.

The government said the existing capacity would be expanded as necessary depending on the evolution of the situation.

Njuki’s assurance is expected to bolster coordination between county governments and the Ministry of Health as Kenya seeks to prevent community transmission and ensure rapid response to any suspected Ebola infections.

Health authorities have urged Kenyans to remain calm but vigilant, observe strict hand hygiene and avoid close contact with people exhibiting Ebola symptoms.

The symptoms include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding.

Anyone experiencing the symptoms, particularly after possible exposure to a suspected or confirmed case, has been advised to avoid close contact with others and seek immediate medical guidance from a recognised health facility.

The Ministry of Health is expected to issue additional guidelines on safeguards and preventive measures as surveillance and contact-tracing efforts continue.