Audio By Vocalize
Burial workers carry the remains of Mussa Kathembo, an Islamic scholar who had prayed over those who were sick, in Beni, Congo in July 14, 2019. He died of Ebola. [File]
A major Ebola outbreak has been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a few confirmed cases in neighbouring Uganda.
The current outbreak originates in eastern DRC, where eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and 80 suspected deaths have been reported according to the WHO. The WHO has declared this a public health emergency of international concern, warning that the true scale of the outbreak could be significantly larger than what is currently being detected. Local authorities in the DRC have, however, linked the disease to 131 deaths.
That is a serious outbreak that warrants urgent attention by Kenya and other neighbouring countries. Thankfully, Kenya's Public Health PS Mary Muthoni has directed counties to activate rapid response mechanisms and intensify screening at airports, seaports, land border crossings, and transit points.
