Govt Warns All Kenyans On Ebola Outbreak in Uganda
Kenyans across the 47 counties were also advised to be on the lookout for symptoms related to the disease
Marvin Chege 
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has advised all Kenyans to be on high alert after Uganda announced an outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease.
Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mutahi Kagwe in a statement on Wednesday, September 21 noted that Kenya and Uganda have high activity between each other and neighbour each other, hence the need to exercise caution.
Kenyans across the 47 counties were also advised to be on the lookout for symptoms related to the disease such as vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pains, headache, sore throat among others.
Kenya-Uganda border post at Busia. /FILE
The government also advised Kenyans to be on the lookout for these symptoms while visiting Uganda as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Kagwe also called upon health officials to be vigilant and enhance surveillance, especially at the border, activate rapid response teams to support the identification of any suspected cases and make prompt reporting.
"Screening of at-risk populations including travellers, truck drivers, bush meat handlers and health care workers should be prioritised," read the advisory in part.
The Ministry of Health also revealed the contacts Kenyans can use to report any symptoms witnessed in the public.
"If you come across such a person, notify the nearest health facility or administrative officers like Assistant chiefs or call the following hotline numbers immediately: 0729471414 or 0732353535.
"The Ministry of Health is committed to limiting public health threats and shall remain vigilant to ensure that Kenyans are well informed and protected against any such threats including infectious diseases and that the citizens continue to receive quality health services," read the statement in part.
A 24-year-old man, who presented the symptoms, died in the morning of Tuesday, September 20, according to high-level government officials who were briefed on the matter the previous night.
MOH also revealed that health officials in Uganda are currently conducting contact tracing to identify any close contacts of the deceased. Six suspicious prior deaths are currently under investigations.
However, the announcement of the outbreak was considered a sensitive issue due to its likely negative impact on tourism and it came just a weekend after the country staged the three-day Nyege Nyege Festival.
"Uganda confirms an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Mubende District, Uganda. The confirmed case is a 24-year-old male a resident of Ngabano village of Madudu Sub County in Mubende District presented with EVD symptoms and later succumbed," the health ministry said.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease is transmitted to people from animals and spreads through human-to-human infection. It got its name from a river in the DRC, where it was first recognised.
It comprises four distinct subtypes: Zaire, Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire and Reston.
Ebola virus disease (EVD) was formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever and often affects humans but non-human primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees) can also contract the disease. According to WHO, the average EVD case fatality rate is around 50 per cent with case fatality rates varying from 25 per cent to 90 per cent in past outbreaks.
The largest Ebola outbreak in history ravaged the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone from 2014 to 2016, killing more than 11,300 people.
Read more about the Ebola Outbreak in Uganda here
Health officials wearing Ebola protective gears. /AL JAZEERA
