Ebola Cases in Kenya Rise to 7 as Health Officials Search for Two Contacts
Kenya Traces Out 128 of 130 Traced Ebola Contacts – Search for Two Still On
The Ministry of Health is saying they’ve got 128 of the 130 people on their list who’ve had contact with Kenya’s Ebola cases logged and put into quarantine.
The governments getting a good head on it – they’ve got about 98.5% of contacts tracked so far, with two people still out there that they are having to keep a close eye on to prevent the outbreak from spreading further.
Mary Muthoni at the Public Health and Professional Standards department is saying the government is now casting a wider net and looking beyond just those already in quarantine as they try and get this outbreak under control
Kenya Traces 128 Ebola Contacts as Search Continues
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has managed to track down 128 of 130 people it knows had contact with folks whove been diagnosed with Ebola.
That puts the contact-tracing rate at 98.5% so far. The Ministry has a benchmark of 85% so thats a good start – just two people still unaccounted for.
The health folks are still trying to track down those last two and reach a 100% tracking rate so they can keep this outbreak from getting any worse
Contact tracing is all about finding and monitoring people who might have been exposed to someone with Ebola. If theyve been exposed, they get monitored pretty close for any symptoms, and that way the Ministry can catch any potential cases early and stop them from spreading.
Health officials are now taking a more active approach and keeping a closer eye on people beyond those already in quarantine, in an effort to really get on top of this outbreak
Kenya Confirms Four New Ebola Cases
Four new Ebola cases popped up in Kenya on Saturday October 17 – bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 7.
Three of the new cases are health care workers who were looking after the first patient, plus a relative of that patient. All four had been put into quarantine before they started showing symptoms, and testing turned up positive later on.
Its a bit of a harsh reminder of how important it is to keep an eye on folks whove been exposed to the virus, especially the healthcare workers who have to deal with patients whove got it.
One of the patients actually did die, a man who came from Congo and came through Uganda before ending up in Kenyas hospitals.
Ministry of Health Steps Up Ebola Surveillance
Mary Muthoni, the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, tells us that the Ministry of Health is really piling on the surveillance – not just to keep the outbreak from getting worse, but to actually cut the risk of it spreading even further.
County governments are being told to get their quarantine facilities up to speed, not because it’s expected they’ll be needed, but just in case the outbreak can’t be contained.
The government is also sending loads of personal protective equipment to the areas that are at highest risk, like counties near entry points.
These moves are all about making sure we’re ready for anything that might happen next, protecting our health workers, making sure any suspected cases get the help they need ASAP.
Ministry Says Risk of Ebola Transmission to Public Remains Low
Even with the number of confirmed cases on the rise, the Ministry of Health is saying that so far, there’s no sign of the virus spreading to the wider community – and that the risk to the general public is still pretty low. They are however warning that we might still see some new infections turn up among people who are still being kept an eye on.
One thing that’s really brought this home is that some patients tested positive for Ebola even after they’d been put into quarantine, which just goes to show how important it is to keep monitoring and picking up on potential cases early on.
So the health authorities are staying vigilant, keeping an eye on people who’ve come into contact with the confirmed cases and making sure to keep tracing those contacts and keeping track of them.
Kenya’s Ebola Preparedness Measures
Kenya started beefing up its Ebola preparedness back in May, after the outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
By the 15th October, the Ministry of Health had managed to screen over 685,000 passengers, and nearly 5,000 health workers had gotten the training they need to spot Ebola symptoms and care for patients safely.
So what’s the plan? Well, it includes:
- Doing a lot more screening at entry points.
- Testing people who are suspected of having Ebola.
- Keeping infected patients isolated and providing the right care.
- Tracing and keeping an eye on people who’ve been in contact with the infected.
- Keeping an eye on infection prevention in hospitals.
- Getting the word out through public awareness campaigns.
The World Health Organization is also lending a hand – with surveillance, contact tracing, testing, patient care, infection prevention and getting the word out to the public.
What Is Bundibugyo Ebola Virus?
Bundibugyo Ebola virus causes a pretty nasty form of Ebola virus disease, a condition that’s serious enough to be life-threatening.
The disease gets passed on through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, as well as anything that’s been contaminated with those fluids.
We don’t have to worry about it spreading through the air, at least that’s what we’ve been told so far.
The World Health Organisation says there’s no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola. So, what patients do get is supportive care – fluids and treatment for the symptoms themselves. And the earlier that happens, the better your chances of survival.
How Kenyans Can Protect Themselves From Ebola
At first, you might get:
- A fever.
- Feeling completely drained of energy.
- Muscle or joint pain.
- A headache.
- A sore throat.
As the illness gets worse, other symptoms might show up – like vomiting and diarrhoea.
Because these symptoms can happen with loads of other illnesses, if you start to get them after being exposed to someone who might have Ebola, you should get yourself to the doctor straight away instead of trying to figure out what’s going on at home.
How Kenyans Can Protect Themselves From Ebola
The Health Ministry is urging people to follow some basic guidelines for now as they try to track down the outbreak.
Hand washing is a priority – do it regularly, especially if you’re around someone who might have Ebola. Try to avoid direct contact with suspected cases and steer clear of anything that’s been contaminated with bodily fluids.
If you start to show symptoms after being exposed, get to a doctor pronto and tell them all about your possible exposure.
And if you start to feel off or think you might be at risk, just call the Health Ministry’s free number – 719 and they’ll sort you out.
The authorities are counting on early detection, tracking down who else might have been exposed and people doing the right thing to stop it spreading any further.
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Ebola Cases in Kenya Rise to 7 as Health Officials Search for Two Contacts
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