Ebola breaks in Kenya: How to protect yourself, symptoms and virus transmission

Kenya is now dealing with its first confirmed Ebola case after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) travelled through Uganda and arrived in Nairobi on October 3.

The patient was isolated and tested positive for Bundibugyo virus at both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and KEMRI before dying on October 5.

Health authorities have listed 28 contacts and are tracing passengers and crew from the flight.

The case comes as the DRC continues battling an outbreak of the same virus.

Ebola is not spread like flu

Ebola disease is a severe viral infection.

The Bundibugyo virus is one of the orthoebolaviruses known to cause Ebola disease, and WHO says there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, although candidate products are being studied.

Unlike flu or COVID-19, Ebola does not spread simply because someone is standing near you.

Infection occurs mainly through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, including vomit, faeces, saliva, sweat and other fluids, or through objects contaminated with those fluids.

The virus can enter through broken skin or the eyes, nose or mouth.

That makes close caregiving, handling an infected person's belongings and contact with bodies of people who have died from Ebola particularly important risks.

Know the symptoms

Ebola symptoms can begin 2 to 21 days after infection, with an average onset of about eight to 10 days.

Early symptoms can look like many ordinary illnesses: sudden fever, severe weakness, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.

Later symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rash and, in some patients, bleeding.

Bleeding is not present in every case, so waiting for it before seeking help can be dangerous.

Avoid bodily fluids

The clearest protection is to keep physical distance from anyone suspected or confirmed to have Ebola and do not touch their blood, vomit, faeces or other bodily fluids.

Avoid handling clothing, bedding, needles or other objects that may have been contaminated.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Good hand hygiene is particularly important after contact with people, surfaces or items in settings where exposure could occur.

Do not handle an Ebola victim’s body

Bodies of people who have died from Ebola can remain infectious.

Families should therefore not wash, dress, transport or prepare a suspected Ebola victim for burial themselves.

Safe and dignified burials should be conducted by trained teams following public-health procedures.

The same caution applies to dead or visibly sick wild animals.

WHO advises avoiding contact with dead animals and eating raw meat from wildlife during an outbreak.

What to do after possible exposure

Anyone who has had direct physical contact with a confirmed or suspected Ebola patient should contact a health facility or public-health authorities promptly and follow their instructions.

Known contacts are generally monitored for 21 days, with symptoms reported immediately.

People under follow-up should avoid unnecessary travel unless cleared by health authorities.

Kenya had already screened more than 652,000 travellers and tested 267 suspected samples before this case was confirmed, while nearly 5,000 health workers have received Ebola prevention and management training.

WHO says isolation units have also been identified across 27 high-risk counties.

For the public, the message is simple: do not panic, but do not ignore a possible exposure.

Avoid risky contact, keep your hands clean, watch for symptoms and seek medical help quickly when there is a genuine risk of infection.