Eldoret’s MTRH quarantines one person for Ebola monitoring
DR Congo's worst Ebola epidemic ever passes 7,000 cases
Officials at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret isolated one person for 21 days for monitoring as a precautionary measure against Ebola.
CEO Dr. Phillip Kirwa assured the public on Thursday that people should not assume the individual has the disease.
According to MTRH, the person was identified through contact tracing with confirmed cases and placed in quarantine.
Dr. Kirwa clarified that isolation or quarantine for monitoring does not automatically mean a person is infected, explaining that individuals who may have been exposed to the virus are monitored for symptoms during the incubation period.
“We have no Ebola-infected patients. Quarantine is not equal to being an infected person,” said Dr. Kirwa.
Dr. Kirwa explained that the individual would be monitored for 21 days and released if no symptoms developed during the monitoring period.
He urged the public to remain calm, emphasising the importance of distinguishing between precautionary public-health measures and a confirmed Ebola infection.
Kenya has so far confirmed 9 cases of the Bundibugyo virus.
Director General of Medical Services Dr Patrick Amoth said they expect one of the patients to be discharged on Sunday after he responded well to medication.
The announcement on the disease has caused panic among Kenyans.
