Gov't protests Saudi Arabia's Ebola-related travel restrictions

The Ministry of Health has protested Saudi Arabia's decision to suspend travel by its citizens to Kenya and halt visa issuance to travellers from the country, terming the measures excessive and unsupported by the current Ebola situation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said Kenya had contained the outbreak within a single cluster linked to an imported case, with no evidence of community transmission.

“Kenya has noted with concern the extreme measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the Ebola situation in the country. We reiterate that the measures taken are not only excessive but not backed by the current epidemiological situation in the country,” stated Duale.

CS Duale said all 135 people who had come into contact with the index patient had been traced, with 118 placed under quarantine as part of the containment measures.

He noted that all eight confirmed infections were linked to the initial case, involving four healthcare workers and four close family members.

The Ministry further said it had not recorded a new infection since October 19, maintaining that the outbreak response was yielding results.

According to MoH, seven patients remained under care following the deaths of two people, including the index case. Of those receiving treatment, five had returned an initial negative Ebola test after completing treatment and were awaiting a second test scheduled for Monday, November 2.

The ministry expressed optimism that the five would be discharged on Tuesday, November 3, alongside 46 contacts who had completed their quarantine period without developing symptoms.

The additional 46 would join 20 contacts who had already been released from quarantine, bringing the total number of people cleared from monitoring to 66.

Duale now says the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs would continue engaging Saudi Arabia over the decision.

He thus called on the international community to support Kenya's response rather than impose restrictions, isolation or condemnation, maintaining that the government had demonstrated transparency in managing the outbreak and thanked Kenyans for their cooperation.

“Kenya has demonstrated transparency; what we require from the international community is support and collaboration, not condemnation, not travel restrictions and certainly not isolation. Together as a united people we shall overcome,” he stated.

The Gulf nation announced the restrictions on Friday, October 30, suspending travel by its citizens to Kenya and halting the issuance of all categories of visas to people arriving from the country.

The measures also bar entry to travellers arriving directly from Kenya or through third countries if they had stayed in Kenya or another country experiencing an active Ebola outbreak within the 21 days preceding their arrival.