Kenya Discharges Final Ebola Patient and Starts 42-Day Countdown

Kenya has discharged its last Ebola patient and begun a 42-day countdown to being declared free of the disease. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the development in Nairobi on Wednesday. Prevention measures will remain in place until December 23, when the countdown ends. The country recorded nine confirmed cases, all linked to its first patient, who arrived from the Democratic Republic of the Congo through Uganda. The first patient and his mother died, while the other seven people recovered. Officials traced 135 contacts and reported no evidence of community transmission. Kenya’s last case was recorded on October 19. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has also reached Uganda and Nigeria through travellers from the DRC. Kenya has tightened border screening and will quarantine arrivals from the DRC for 21 days. Its health ministry is also asking Saudi Arabia to reconsider visa restrictions imposed after the outbreak.

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