Kenya discharges last Ebola patient, beginning countdown to Ebola-free declaration

Kenya on Wednesday discharged its last Ebola patient, officially beginning the 42-day countdown toward being declared Ebola-free, even as the number of cases recorded in the wider region topped 11,000 since the outbreak began in May.

The country recorded nine Ebola cases in October after the first patient traveled from Congo through Uganda, transmitting the virus to four family members and four healthcare workers.

The first patient and his mother died of Ebola, while the other seven patients have fully recovered. The government had identified 135 contacts who had interacted with the first patient.

Kenya now begins the 42-day countdown to being declared Ebola-free, provided no new infections are recorded during that period.

But while Kenya's cases have now been discharged, elsewhere in the region the number of infections continues to climb. In Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak, 11,042 people have been infected and 5,387 have died, the government said Wednesday.

The outbreak also spread to Uganda and Nigeria through individuals who traveled from Congo.

Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale on Wednesday said the 42-day waiting period is twice the longest Ebola incubation period and would end on Dec. 23, but insisted that the country would continue with its prevention measures.

The Ministry of Health had earlier expressed confidence that the outbreak was under control, noting that all confirmed cases were linked to the first patient’s contact list. This indicated that there had been no community transmission.

Kenya has faced travel restrictions following the Ebola outbreak, with Saudi Arabia announcing an indefinite suspension of visas on Oct. 30. The decision affected hundreds of Kenyan workers traveling to the Gulf for employment, particularly as domestic and hotel workers.

The Ministry of Health had urged Saudi Arabia to reconsider the travel restrictions, explaining that Kenya’s first Ebola case was imported and that all subsequent cases were traced to the initial patient’s contact list. The ministry said all contacts had been identified and traced in line with established outbreak-control guidelines.

The current Ebola outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus and has been described as one of the worst outbreaks on record.

Kenya tightened its border controls designating a specific gate at the country's main airport for passengers traveling from 10 countries that have reported Ebola cases or border those that have active cases. Passengers are being screened using thermal technology and all new arrivals fill a health declaration form that provides their travel and health information.