Kenya could be declared free of Ebola after 42 days without a case
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Citizen
Kenyan Health Minister Aden Duale says the country could be declared free of Ebola after 42 days without a new case, in line with the period set by the World Health Organization. He says 551 people tested in 48 hours were negative and two Kenyans have died of the disease, according to his appearance on Citizen TV.
Kenyan Health Minister Aden Duale believes Kenya could be declared free of Ebola after 42 days without a new case. The first patient was detected on entering the country on 3 October, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said on Citizen TV.
According to Aden Duale, 551 people were tested in the past 48 hours and all tested negative. He said the patient’s contacts had been traced and placed in quarantine. Around 20 people could be allowed to return home if their tests are negative and their monitoring period has ended.
Two people have died of the disease in Kenya, including a 65-year-old woman who died on 23 October. The Ministry of Health says confirmed cases remain linked to a single group of contacts and that no community transmission has been recorded.
The 42 days cited by the minister correspond to the period set by the World Health Organization for declaring an outbreak over. Kenya had already reported two deaths among nine confirmed cases and nine contacts being monitored after sharing a flight.
