NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenyan government is stepping up surveillance at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in response to the surge in the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
An ongoing outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus is heavily impacting the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and has spilt over into Uganda.
In the wake of the Ebola outbreak, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has announced that Kenya is not taking any chances in its efforts to contain the entry of the deadly virus into the country by seriously enhancing surveillance at all points of entry.
At JKIA, the country’s major entry point, the PS maintained that screening has been enhanced.
“The Ministry of Health is doing everything possible to ensure that we contain it, and we are prepared. At the points of entry, we are doing surveillance at JKIA. We have the designated Gate 16 for passengers on flights that are coming from the countries that have reported cases of Ebola,” explained the PS.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
JKIA Gate 16 on government radar
According to PS Muthoni, the border management team domiciled at the airport has increased surveillance at the six international arrivals gates, with gate number 16 now designated for passengers coming from high-risk countries.
Muthoni said that at Gate 16, an isolation center, completely manned by port health officials, isolation points have been set up to ensure preparedness in case suspected cases arise.
“Consequently, all travellers to Kenya are required to fill out online self-check forms to gather previous travel history and confirm their health status,” added the PS.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal zoonotic illness in humans and non-human primates caused by infection with an orthoebolavirus.
The virus causes a form of viral haemorrhagic fever that damages internal organs and disrupts the body’s ability to clot blood, carrying an average case fatality rate of roughly 50% (ranging from 25% to 90% in prior outbreaks).
To improve surveillance quality, port health has enhanced genomic sequencing by collecting and testing waste samples from all planes arriving at the airport—both national and international—through national laboratories.
This, PS Muthoni disclosed, serves as a clear way to ascertain the pattern of diseases, including the deadly Ebola virus, entering the country.
Port health to conduct genomic sequencing
The PS said this will greatly help combat the spread of not just the Ebola virus but also check other diseases of serious concern to the country. The samples are stored in a specialised fridge at the port health clinic, awaiting thorough checks as quickly as possible.
“We are analysing aircraft wastewater, and this is aimed at checking on the pathogens that are exported to our country through wastewater. This can also give us patterns of diseases that may likely be imported into our country, like polio, cholera, meningitis, mpox and now Ebola,” said the PS, who spoke after a detailed tour of JKIA.
PS Muthoni also allayed fears that the country has any cases of the dreaded virus, insisting that the government has put in place stringent containment measures.
“I want to assure Kenyans that we do not have any confirmed case in Kenya. I want to allay any fears. Let us remain calm. As the Ministry of Health, we are in control, and the government is also fully in control,” said PS Muthoni.
She has also called on those spreading rumours online to desist from such, while calling on Kenyans to rely on apt information coming from the Ministry of Health.
“Please, I want to plead with members of the public to only pay attention to the information coming from the Ministry of Health. Let us stop unverified information. We are working closely with other ministries that are stationed at our border points. We shall also be going to other points of entry, including sea and land, to also check their preparedness in the coming days,” she said.
Kenyatta National Hospital to play a key role
The PS reiterated that quarantine centers have also been set up, with serious cases, if found, being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital.
“We have also expanded the mandatory screening for 10 countries that are our neighbours. I also want to tell Kenyans that we also have our processes and procedures in place. If we find someone unwell on board an aircraft, we are notified by that particular airline,” said the PS.
“Once the port health is notified, they pick up the passenger immediately after disembarking. The passenger is then taken to a medical facility. If they need a referral, we contact the Kenyatta National Hospital, where they are transferred for further assessment. Equally, we have an isolation center at the airport for the same purpose,” explained the PS.
PS Muthoni also urged a multi-agency approach to combating the entry of the Ebola virus, expecting all border points to have more officials working in shifts to address any emerging threats.
“We are going to deploy more health workers at the points of entry from next week. We are also encouraging public health officers to register with us so that we can also see how we can deploy them as soon as possible because we want to enhance the teams that are on the ground,” she added.
Government activates collaborations with airlines
The border management committee at the JKIA, led by the airport manager and the port health boss, says it is assessing the deadly virus situation hourly and giving periodic updates to ensure there are no lapses.
“Kenyans should ensure that they avoid unnecessary travel to countries that have already reported cases of Ebola. You can just wait for a period of time to ensure that these numbers go down, and then you can travel later,” the PS further said.
The Ministry of Health is also keeping a close eye on all the other points of entry, with PS Muthoni now saying they would employ a whole-of-government approach and have senior government officials doing impromptu spot checks to gauge alertness of officials and their work, all in a bid to keep the country safe.
Staff at the airports and other border points have also been sensitised on what to look for when passengers arrive, the alertness, and close collaboration with affected countries regarding exit screening reports for all passengers.
“Our rapid response teams are ready. So, in case of anything, our teams are ready to move swiftly and ensure that any case is dealt with,” assured the PS.
The government has also activated collaborations with airlines to ensure clear and honest reports on the health status of all passengers, demanding that forms be presented at passport control centers upon entry.
“Equally, we are in collaboration and coordination with authorities from other countries that are affected by this outbreak to conduct exit screening from the destination country. So, anyone boarding a plane will be screened, then also screened upon disembarking,” emphasised the PS.
This comes even as it is emerging that the critical challenge of this specific outbreak is that there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. Authorities are relying strictly on supportive care, contact tracing, and infection control to stem the spread.
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