Health authorities in Kenya’s Wajir County have confirmed that preliminary laboratory tests on a 20-year-old man suspected of having Ebola returned negative results, easing fears of another infection in the country.
The man reportedly travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) through Uganda before seeking medical attention at a health facility in Wajir County.
Local media quoted the county’s governor as saying health officials would continue monitoring the patient and provide medical care as necessary.
The suspected case had raised concerns that Kenya could be facing a second Ebola infection after a Kenyan citizen who travelled from DR Congo died from the haemorrhagic disease in Nairobi on Tuesday.
Authorities are tracing people who may have come into contact with the deceased, but no additional infections have been identified so far.
The latest development has also raised questions about the effectiveness of Kenya’s border health screening procedures, after reports that the suspected patient passed through multiple airport temperature checks without being detected.
Health officials have continued surveillance and contact-tracing efforts to prevent further transmission, amid concerns over the spread of the outbreak beyond eastern DR Congo.
Kenya is among four countries to have recorded cases linked to the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo, which has been described as the second-largest on record, with more than 8,000 reported cases.
The preliminary negative result offers some reassurance, although continued medical monitoring and further assessment remain important in determining the patient’s status and limiting the risk of further infections.
