Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Dead passenger did not have Ebola – Macharia

"We have given the body to the family whom together with Kenyatta University mortuary will carry further pathological tests to determine the cause of the death"/FILE

“We have given the body to the family whom together with Kenyatta University mortuary will carry further pathological tests to determine the cause of the death”/FILE

NAIROBI Kenya, Oct 12 – Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has confirmed that the patient who died on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport from Juba on Saturday night did not have Ebola.

Macharia told Capital FM News that tests had already been conducted by health experts who ruled out Ebola.

Macharia who spent a better part of Sunday at the airport with other senior health officials said more tests were being done to confirm the actual cause of the death, which caused panic after claims that the patient had showed signs of the dreaded disease.

“The 33 years old lady had travelled from Kenya to Uganda and went to Juba where she got sick. After about 10 days, her case got serious,” he stated.

“She sought specialised treatment and some medical advice where she was later flown to Nairobi and upon arrival our port health staff did realise that she was quite sick.”

“The body was taken to the isolation facility here at JKIA and samples were taken to KEMRI for further tests and I am glad to report that indeed it was negative of Ebola,” he said.

“She did not have any of the 21 hemorrhagic fevers given it was all negative. We have given the body to the family whom together with Kenyatta University mortuary will carry further pathological tests to determine the cause of the death.”

Macharia said the country was well equipped to handle any Ebola case that may emerge.

As a precaution measure, he said all people coming from West African countries were required to be tested immediately after arrival.

He however explained that the scope will now be extended to all “no matter where they come from” as more measures continue to be put in place.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

At the airport, the government has established an isolation room for people found with Ebola-like symptoms and also a station to check on their body temperature.

Those arriving are also required to fill in their travel information with a special focus on their origin and where they have been over a certain period of time.

The deadly disease has so far claimed 4,000 lives in West Africa.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News