Ebola in Kenya: Gov't races to find 28 people who flew with first patient from Kampala

According to Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, 28 contacts have so far been identified, including family members of the deceased victim who died at the Nairobi Hospital on Monday night, as well as attending healthcare workers.

The Ministry is also pursuing an additional 23 passengers and 4 crew members who were on the same flight as the deceased, flying from Kampala to Nairobi.

The patient, a Kenyan citizen, arrived in Kenya on October 3 after living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for 7 years.

The CS Duale said that the patient fell ill about a month ago and was treated in several hospitals while still in DRC and later travelled from DRC to Kampala by road.

The patient then boarded a Jambojet flight 8523 from Kampala and arrived in Nairobi on October 3.

Duale said arrangements have been made for the traced contacts to undergo quarantine as healthcare officials continue monitoring them for symptoms.

The contact tracing exercise is part of the measures taken by the government to prevent further transmission of the virus and quickly identify anyone who has been exposed.

A total of 276 samples have also been tested across five laboratories, including Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) laboratories in Nairobi and Kisumu, the national virus reference laboratory, and two other mobile laboratories deployed at the Busia border and in Bungoma County.

Only one sample has been confirmed positive, and it belonged to the deceased patient.

The Ministry has continued strengthening surveillance at entry points and increased laboratory testing as part of efforts to prevent and contain Ebola. 

Ebola is a severe disease and can be spread through direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.