46 Ebola contacts set for discharge from quarantine on November 3

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 30 – Public Health Principal Secretary May Muthoni says 46 contacts under quarantine are expected to be discharged on November 3 after completing the required monitoring period.

Muthoni has directed health teams to prepare the necessary discharge packages and support for those completing quarantine.

“We must also be able to complete the full 21 days of followup and every person leaving quarantine must receive the agreed discharge package and support… we must also continue to follow up the nine contacts outside Kenya with the countries concerned,” she said.

She said every person leaving quarantine must receive the agreed assistance as authorities maintain surveillance to prevent further transmission.

The PS urged response teams to ensure all arrangements are in place ahead of Tuesday’s planned discharge.

“Kenya is making progress in containing the Ebola outbreak, with no new cases reported in the last 10 days, following coordinated efforts by the Ministry of Health, County Governments and development partners,” Muthoni stated.

So far, the country has recorded nine cases and two deaths;.

Following confirmation of the first Ebola case on 6 October, the health ministry conducted “robust contact tracing of anyone who may have been exposed”, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. By 22 October, all contacts had been traced, both in Kenya and internationally, and placed in quarantine, it adds.

The government says that the confirmed cases so far are connected and there is no evidence that the virus has spread to the community.