Kenya has confirmed its first imported case of Ebola, after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrived in Nairobi and later tested positive for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD).
The patient died on the night of October 5, just days after arriving in the country.
The confirmation has understandably raised concern, particularly because Ebola is one of those diseases whose name alone can send people into panic. But it is imprtant to understand that Kenya has confirmed an imported case, not an outbreak spreading through the country.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the patient had been living in the DRC and became ill there, where he was treated at several health facilities.
He travelled by road through Beni to Kampala, Uganda, on October 2 before flying to Nairobi on October 3.
After arriving in Nairobi, he was taken to a hospital and quickly isolated. Samples tested positive for Bundibugyo virus at both Kenya’s National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
Despite receiving supportive care, he died on October 5. He was buried the following day under Kenya’s safe and dignified burial procedures for Ebola.
This is Kenya’s first confirmed imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease and makes Kenya the fourth country to report a case linked to the current outbreak.
Is Bundibugyo virus the same as Ebola?
Yes. Bundibugyo virus is one of the viruses that causes Ebola disease.
It was first identified in Uganda’s Bundibugyo District in 2007. The current outbreak is centred in the DRC, while Uganda ended its latest outbreak in August after recording cases linked largely to people arriving from the DRC.
And this is where some of the confusion around the word “Ebola” comes in. There are different Ebola viruses, and Bundibugyo is one of them. So while people may simply refer to this as “Ebola”, the specific disease Kenya has confirmed is Bundibugyo virus disease.
Who may have been exposed?
Kenyan health authorities have identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who cared for the patient.
They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight from Kampala to Nairobi.
People considered to have been at risk are being followed up and monitored, with quarantine arrangements being made where necessary.
This does not mean all these people have Ebola. Contact tracing is a standard part of containing diseases such as Ebola. Health officials need to know who may have been exposed so they can monitor them and act quickly if symptoms develop.
How does Ebola spread?
It is important for Kenyans to understand that Ebola does not spread through the air in the way illnesses such as flu or COVID-19 can.
Bundibugyo virus spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or through contaminated materials.
People become particularly vulnerable when caring for someone who is sick, when healthcare workers are treating infected patients without adequate protection, or when handling the body of someone who has died from the disease.
This is also why safe burial practices are such an important part of Ebola control.
We have written before about how much fear and misinformation can surround this disease. If you want to understand the difference between what people say about Ebola and what we actually know, read our earlier explainer, The Myths, the Facts and the Fear: Understanding Ebola.
What symptoms should you look out for?
Ebola can initially look like many other illnesses, with Symptoms including fever, severe weakness and fatigue, headache, muscle pain and sore throat. As the illness progresses, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain can occur. Bleeding is possible, although it does not happen in every case.
The incubation period can be as long as 21 days.
That does not mean anyone who develops a fever should assume they have Ebola. Malaria, typhoid and several other illnesses are far more common in Kenya.
The important thing is possible exposure, therefore anyone who believes they may have come into contact with an infected person should seek medical attention and tell healthcare workers about the possible exposure.
So where does this leave Kenya?
While the confirmed case is serious, it is not, at this stage, evidence that Ebola is spreading through Kenya.
The next few weeks will be important as health authorities monitor the people who may have been exposed.
Kenya has also been preparing for exactly this possibility. Since May, when outbreaks were reported in the DRC and Uganda, the country has screened more than 652,000 travellers, tested 267 suspected samples and trained around 5,000 healthcare workers in Ebola prevention and management.
Isolation units in 27 high-risk counties have also been identified and assessed.
In other words, Kenya has not been caught completely off guard. The bigger question now is whether the country can keep this imported case from becoming local transmission, which will depend largely on what happens with the people currently being monitored.
For most people, there is no reason to change their daily lives because of one confirmed imported case. However, do not handle the body of someone suspected of having Ebola. Avoid contact with the blood or bodily fluids of someone who is seriously ill, and follow instructions from health authorities if you are identified as a contact.
