Second Person Infected With Ebola in Kenya

Kenya has officially confirmed a second case of Ebola. The infected 39-year-old citizen is a close relative of the first person who died from the disease.

According to the country’s Ministry of Health, the patient was immediately isolated after developing a fever, joint pain, and weakness. Tests later confirmed that the person had contracted Ebola.

The authorities say there is currently no immediate risk of widespread transmission. Health specialists have already identified the whereabouts of 113 out of 128 people who had contact with the patient.

The first person to die from Ebola in Kenya had reportedly contracted the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, travelled to Nairobi through Uganda, and died in hospital in early October.

At the same time, the epidemiological situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains difficult. More than 9,200 people have reportedly been infected there, with over 4,400 deaths. The disease has spread most widely in Ituri Province.

The World Health Organization warns that it is becoming increasingly difficult to trace people who have had contact with patients in remote areas.

The current outbreak is linked to the Ebola variant known as Bundibugyo. There is currently no specifically developed and approved medicine or vaccine for this strain.

It has also not yet been fully confirmed how effective the existing “Ervebo” vaccine is against this variant.