Kenya has confirmed its eighth Ebola case as health authorities intensify efforts to contain an outbreak that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is spreading across the region.
Kenya’s Health Director-General, Patrick Amoth, said the latest case involved a 49-year-old man who developed fever, headaches and muscle pain.
The man worked as a hospital patient attendant, where his duties included cleaning utensils and linens. He is believed to have been exposed to Kenya’s first Ebola patient, who died in Nairobi on October 5.
According to Amoth, the man developed symptoms on Saturday and was placed in quarantine before testing positive for the virus on Sunday.
Kenyan health authorities have strengthened disease surveillance and other response measures to prevent further transmission.
Meanwhile, in the DRC, the outbreak has spread to North Ubangi, bringing the number of affected provinces to eight.
Two cases, including one death, have been confirmed in the province, according to the report.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, raising concerns among health officials about further infections within the DRC and beyond its borders.
Authorities are continuing contact tracing, monitoring people who may have been exposed and implementing other containment measures to limit the spread of the disease.
The latest developments have heightened regional concerns as health agencies work to identify infections early and prevent further transmission across national borders.
