Kenya could be declared free of Ebola after completing 42 consecutive days without a new case, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said, as authorities continue testing suspected infections and monitoring people exposed to the virus.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Sunday Live on Sunday, October 25, Duale said the timeline follows international public health requirements set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), rather than a deadline determined by the Kenyan government
“Once we have 42 days and we have nobody, Kenya will be declared Ebola-free,” Duale said.
The announcement comes as health officials assess people who have completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period following contact with confirmed cases. Those who test negative and pass a clinical assessment could be allowed to return to their families.
Contacts Await Final Clearance
Duale said the 21-day monitoring period is based on the virus’s incubation period, which ranges from two to 21 days. People exposed to Ebola are monitored for symptoms during this time so that infections can be identified early.
He said those completing the period would undergo final testing before the authorities decided whether they could leave quarantine.
“If tomorrow they are negative, the Director General will do the clinical analysis, will do all the protocols, and they’ll be safe to go and join their families,” he said.
The government has reported progress in tracing people who came into contact with confirmed patients. According to Duale, all identified contacts had been traced, representing a 100 per cent contact-tracing rate.
He also said 551 people had been tested in the 48 hours before the interview, with all samples returning negative results.
However, the absence of new positive results does not, on its own, mean the outbreak has ended. Authorities must continue surveillance and meet the required conditions before an official declaration can be made.
All Confirmed Cases Linked to One Cluster
Kenya’s outbreak began with an imported case involving a Kenyan national who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi.
The WHO reported nine confirmed cases in Kenya, including the initial patient, as of October 20. The eight subsequent infections involved family members and healthcare workers linked to the first case. The organisation said there was no evidence of wider community transmission at that time.
Duale said the positive cases had been identified among people who were already in quarantine, rather than through new transmission in the wider community.
He added that health teams continued to investigate suspected infections, including cases in which symptoms initially resembled malaria.
The last positive case was reported on October 19, according to the Cabinet Secretary. Continued negative tests and the recovery of patients still receiving treatment will be important in determining whether Kenya meets the conditions for an Ebola-free declaration.
Government Outlines Preparedness Measures
Duale said the government had strengthened its capacity to respond to possible infections, particularly in counties considered to be at higher risk.
He cited the availability of protective equipment, 21 intensive care isolation beds and Ebola training for thousands of healthcare workers. The country also has first responders and laboratory facilities, including mobile laboratories, he said.
The mobile units allow samples from patients in isolation facilities to be tested without being transported to general hospital laboratories, helping to support the response.
Duale also thanked the WHO and the United States government, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Embassy and the State Department, for their assistance.
The Cabinet Secretary rejected concerns about healthcare workers’ access to protective equipment, saying the main complaint had centred on their representation on the multi-sectoral task force coordinating the response.
He said representatives of clinicians and nurses had since been included, adding that protecting healthcare workers remained a priority.
The focus ror now, remains on monitoring contacts, identifying possible infections and ensuring patients receive care. Kenya’s Ebola-free status will depend on meeting the required period without new cases and satisfying the applicable public health criteria.
