Health CS Sicily Kariuki has said there is no case of Ebola in Kenya and that measures have been taken to ensure no cases arise. Speaking at JKIA accompanied by Tourism CS Najib Balala, CS Kariuki said routine screening of travellers has been strengthened at JKIA, Busia, Namanga, Wilson Airport and all other entry points to Kenya, totalling 43. This comes after an Ebola outbreak was confirmed in DR Congo on Tuesday after two of the five samples from patients in Bikoro region tested positive for Ebola. “The Ministry of Health has installed an electronic thermo-screener, handgun thermo-scanners and other support systems including the deployment of 101 health workers,” said Health CS Kariuki on Friday.
She said it’s good to emphasize there is no case of Ebola in the country but the actions being taken by the government are just intervention measures. She said the Health Ministry has established the National Health Emergencies Council which was set up two days ago, “The work of this council among others is to expeditiously prevent importation of any virus or disease, which is of public health importance to us in the country,” she said.
Tourism CS Balala said the country is very far from the affected area in DRC, but still its good that measures have been taken. He cited the last time the Ebola outbreak was in West Africa, it affected the whole continent, “The continent was branded as an Ebola virus area. This time in Kenya we have taken action.” Balala added that DRC has contained the outbreak, according to his counterpart in the country, and that all nations neighbouring DRC have put up the same measures as Kenya, “The neighbours from West Africa up to Gambia have put the same equipment, so everybody in Africa has taken care of it and I appealed to the international media that there is no Ebola in Africa, there is Ebola in an isolated remote area in DRC and the WHO and the government are containing it,” he said.