Woman, 65, becomes second patient to die of Ebola in Kenya

Kenya's health ministry has announced the country's second fatality from the Ebola virus amidst its first-ever outbreak. A 65-year-old woman, who was a close family member of the index patient, passed away after being placed under quarantine. The initial case involved a man who had traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo before arriving in the capital city.

Authorities reported that seven additional Ebola patients are currently receiving medical care across two isolation facilities. This group of active patients comprises three other relatives of the first victim, three healthcare workers, and a hospital cleaner. Officials emphasized that all confirmed cases remain restricted within a single cluster, with no epidemiological evidence indicating community transmission at this stage.

The outbreak's index case involved a man who fell ill in September, received treatment at multiple hospitals in DR Congo, and subsequently traveled to Nairobi, where he died days later on October 5. Following the emergence of the virus in DR Congo back in May, the African continent has witnessed over 4,000 deaths, marking it as the second most lethal outbreak of the disease on record.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

In response to the escalating situation, the United States has advised citizens against traveling to Kenya, while adjacent nations including Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia maintain heightened vigilance. The International Rescue Committee, collaborating with regional governments, notes that Kenya faces persistent cross-border transmission risks given that DR Congo has accumulated over 9,500 total cases. Consequently, Kenya has reinforced traveler screening protocols for arrivals from DR Congo and nine other high-risk African countries.