Kenya is relying on contact tracing and closer disease monitoring to guard against the possible spread of Ebola after an imported case was confirmed, with the World Health Organization (WHO) saying there is no evidence of an outbreak in the country.
Dr Martins Chibueze, WHO Kenya’s Head of Health Emergencies, said health teams were following up on people who had interacted with the confirmed patient while keeping watch for signs of possible infection.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Daybreak programme on Wednesday, Chibueze said tests carried out on individuals who had developed symptoms had returned negative results.
“There's no evidence of an ongoing Ebola outbreak in Kenya following the confirmation of one imported case,” he said.
The WHO official pointed to contact tracing and continued monitoring as key measures in identifying potential infections and limiting the risk of further transmission.
The organisation is working alongside the Kenyan government to improve surveillance and coordinate the response to the imported case.
The partnership is focused on helping health authorities detect suspected infections promptly, monitor people who may have been exposed and take appropriate action where necessary.
The confirmation of the case has placed the country's disease surveillance efforts under closer attention as officials seek to establish whether there are any further infections.
While the negative test results among symptomatic individuals offer some reassurance, health teams continue to monitor the situation to identify any new cases that may arise.
Contact tracing allows health authorities to identify people who may have been exposed to an infected person and follow up on their health in case symptoms develop. The process also helps officials respond quickly when a suspected infection is identified.
WHO's collaboration with the government is expected to strengthen preparedness and ensure a coordinated response as monitoring continues.
The public has been advised to seek accurate information from the Ministry of Health and WHO rather than rely on unverified reports about the situation.
Health authorities have also stressed the need for vigilance and prompt reporting of suspected cases to support efforts to prevent further transmission.