Ebola: WHO tells Kenyans to remain alert, not panic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Kenyans to remain vigilant but avoid panic following the confirmation of an Ebola case in the country.

Speaking to Citizen TV, WHO Head of Health Emergencies Dr Martins Chibueze said the organisation had activated its emergency response systems and was working closely with the government to strengthen surveillance and coordinate containment measures.

He said WHO had activated its internal processes, including an incident management system, while Kenya’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre had also been activated to coordinate the response.

“WHO has activated its internal processes. We do the assessment of the situation, and the incident management system is activated. Kenya’s public health emergency operations centre has also been activated,” Chibueze said.

He added that WHO was now working within Kenya’s response structure and would continue supporting the country until health authorities were confident no new cases were emerging.

“From now until we are able to say there is no new case, we continue to respond together with Kenya,” he said.

Chibueze said Kenya had recorded one case, but the patient had died, adding that contacts had been quarantined and tested, with results returning negative.

“Kenya had one case and unfortunately we lost the individual. All contacts were quarantined, tests have been conducted and turned out negative. In Kenya there is no outbreak, people need to understand that,” he said.

The WHO official cautioned against closing borders, arguing that such measures could drive people to use unofficial routes, making them harder to trace while disrupting livelihoods and trade.

He said the priority should be early detection, effective risk communication, continued monitoring of contacts and community cooperation, while addressing misinformation and stigma surrounding the disease.

Meanwhile, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Senior Research Scientist Victor Ofula warned that Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus was a serious disease, with a case fatality rate estimated at between 30 and 50 per cent.

Ofula said the virus was not airborne but spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people. Early symptoms include fever, headache and muscle pain, which may progress to vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding.

He said travel history and contact with infected individuals were essential in identifying suspected cases and initiating timely intervention.

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers National Chairman Peterson Wachira called for stronger protection of healthcare workers, warning that training alone was insufficient without practical experience using protective equipment.

Until a health worker has worn PPE and performed tasks in it, they may not have confidence in the protective gear,” Wachira said.

He urged the government to train frontline clinicians, provide adequate personal protective equipment and ensure health workers had insurance cover to safely identify and manage suspected cases before community transmission could occur