The Kenya Ebola countdown has begun, with a 42-day count to being declared virus-free, after Health Minister Aden Duale said the seventh and last patient was discharged on Wednesday.
The milestone, reported by the BBC and the Associated Press, comes as Congo, the source of Kenya’s cases, passes 11,000 infections.
How did Kenya’s Ebola cases start?
Kenya confirmed its first case in early October, when a businessman died within days of arriving in Nairobi. He had contracted the virus in Congo and travelled via Uganda, the BBC reported. His mother later died. Every Kenyan case was linked to him, and officials found no evidence of wider community transmission.
Seven patients recovered, including four health workers. Five were discharged on 3 November, a sixth three days later and the last on Wednesday. Kenya has reported no new confirmed case since 20 October, and 135 identified contacts have completed 21 days of monitoring, Mr Duale said.
What does the 42-day countdown mean?
Under World Health Organization guidelines, an outbreak can be declared over only after 42 days have passed since the last patient tested negative and left treatment, or since the last victim was safely buried. The period is twice the 21-day maximum incubation time of the virus. If no new case emerges, the countdown would end in late December.
Mr Duale said surveillance would stay heightened at border crossings, airports, health facilities and communities. Travellers returning from affected areas must submit electronic health declarations, undergo screening and spend 21 days in supervised quarantine.
What are the wider effects of the outbreak on Kenya?
The outbreak has disrupted travel, with some Gulf countries introducing restrictions on travellers, the BBC said. Mr Duale urged countries that imposed travel and visa curbs to reconsider them, and said Kenya had no intention of serving as a quarantine centre for another country. In May a Kenyan court suspended a US plan to open an Ebola quarantine facility for American citizens.
Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya described the discharge as an encouraging moment for Kenya and for Africa, but said surveillance and vigilance must continue until the outbreak is declared over. Kenya’s own Ministry of Health has said the countdown starts only once the last patient is cleared. Nigeria ruled out two suspected cases on 1 November after negative tests.
FAQ
When will Kenya be declared Ebola-free?
If no new case is confirmed during the 42-day countdown, Kenya could be declared free of the virus in late December.
How many people recovered from Ebola in Kenya?
Seven patients recovered, including four health workers, according to the BBC.
Why is the countdown 42 days?
WHO guidance sets it at twice the 21-day maximum incubation period of the virus.
