Kenya records second Ebola death in family cluster

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 01:50 · Archive

A 65-year-old woman has died of Ebola in Kenya, the second death in the country's first outbreak.

Kenya's health ministry announced a second Ebola death on Friday. The victim was a 65-year-old woman who was a close family member of the country's first case, a man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The woman developed symptoms ten days before her death while already in quarantine and received supportive care at an infectious disease unit in Nairobi.

Kenya's first Ebola case was confirmed on 6 October in a 40-year-old man who had travelled from Congo via Uganda, arriving on 3 October. He tested positive on 5 October and died the same day. Of 135 identified as close contacts, 118 were placed in quarantine, with eight testing positive, including four health workers and four family members.

Seven people continue receiving treatment across two isolation facilities. The ministry said all cases remain within "one cluster, with no evidence of community spread". Those being treated include three other relatives of the first victim, three health workers and a hospital cleaner.

Genomic tests have revealed that the Ebola virus found in Kenya's first patient resembles that detected in Nigeria's first case, which was announced earlier this week. The US has advised its citizens against travelling to Kenya, while neighbouring countries including Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia are on alert.

How it is being reported

• Woman, 65, becomes second patient to die of Ebola in KenyaShe was a close family member of the first victim, a man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo.BBC News · 24 Oct, 01:05
• Ebola: Kenya announces second deathKenya has recorded a second Ebola death, the health ministry said late Friday. The 65-year-old woman had developed symptoms during quarantine and was a close relative of a Kenyan man who died of the disease.DW News · 23 Oct, 22:09

In this story: Kenya · Democratic Republic of Congo · Uganda · Nigeria · Nairobi · Ethiopia · Somalia

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem