Kenya reports eighth Ebola case as DRC outbreak spreads

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 02:07 · Archive

Kenya has confirmed eight Ebola infections, with the latest case a patient attendant exposed to an earlier case.

Kenya's Health Ministry Director-General Dr. Patrick Amoth confirmed the eighth Ebola infection on Sunday after 38 people were tested. The patient was a 49-year-old man who developed fever, headache and muscle pain and worked as a patient attendant cleaning utensils and linen. He had likely been exposed to Kenya's first case, announced earlier in October.

UPI reports the patient was infected with the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. Six other patients were reported stable after receiving supportive treatment, with one earlier case resulting in death. Kenya remained on heightened alert after its first case arrived from the DRC in early October with multiple symptoms including fever, chills, fatigue and bleeding under the skin.

Meanwhile in the Democratic Republic of Congo, health authorities reported the outbreak had spread to an eighth province in the north, with two cases including a death recorded in Nord-Ubangi province. The WHO Regional Director for Africa said Ebola cases were generally decreasing in some areas but spreading geographically to new locations. The DRC outbreak, declared in May, has resulted in at least 9,400 cases including over 4,500 deaths.

How it is being reported

• Kenya confirms eighth Ebola case amid widening regional outbreakKenyan health authorities say latest patient was likely exposed to the country's first Ebola case.Al Jazeera · 19 Oct, 02:07
• Kenya confirms eighth Ebola virus case amid outbreak in nearby DRCKenya on Sunday announced that an eighth case of the virus that causes Ebola has been recorded in the country amid an outbreak in the nearby DRC.UPI · 19 Oct, 01:49
• Ebola: Kenya cases rise to 8, spreads to 8th Congo provinceA senior health official in Kenya said there have now been 8 Ebola infections in the country, while in DR Congo the disease has spread to an eighth province.DW News · 18 Oct, 23:04

In this story: Kenya · Democratic Republic of Congo · Patrick Amoth · World Health Organization · Nord-Ubangi · Central African Republic

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