65-Year-Old Woman Dies as Kenya Confirms Second Ebola Fatality
The patient was a close relative of the initial victim, and health officials state the outbreak remains contained to a single family cluster with no evidence of community spread.
By Chioma Kim ·
A 65-year-old woman in quarantine has died from Ebola in Nairobi, marking the second confirmed fatality in Kenya's first recorded outbreak. The Ministry of Health announced the death on 24 October, identifying the victim as a close family member of the first case.
The woman developed symptoms on 13 October while already under isolation. The initial patient was a man who traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He fell ill in September, received treatment at multiple hospitals in the DR Congo, and arrived in Nairobi before dying on 5 October.
Seven other individuals are currently receiving treatment at two isolation facilities. This group includes three additional relatives of the first victim, three healthcare workers, and one hospital cleaner. Officials emphasize that all confirmed cases belong to a single cluster and cite no evidence of community transmission.
The strain involved is the Bundibugyo species, a relatively rare variant of the virus. No approved vaccine or specific treatment exists for this strain, though clinical trials are ongoing. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit and can lead to organ failure and bleeding in some patients.
Kenya's domestic outbreak follows a larger epidemic in the DR Congo. Since May, more than 4,000 people have died from Ebola in Africa, with the DR Congo reporting over 9,500 cases. This makes it the second most deadly outbreak of the disease on record. The International Rescue Committee warns that Kenya faces a steady risk of new cases crossing its borders.
Authorities have implemented enhanced screening for travelers arriving from the DR Congo and eight other high-risk nations, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Passengers must complete a digital surveillance form before boarding and present a QR code to port health officials upon landing. Aircraft from these countries are subject to extra public health screening.
Nigeria's health minister, Prof. Ali Pate, stated that the country's only confirmed Ebola case appears genetically related to the strain in Kenya. Officials are investigating whether the two initial patients crossed paths, as both are believed to have traveled through Uganda's Entebbe airport earlier this month. Uganda announced on Friday that travelers who have visited the DR Congo can no longer transit through its territory.
Source: BBC News
