Kenya has reported its eighth case of Ebola. The virus continues to spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Health officials in Kenya confirmed an eighth case of Ebola. This discovery brings the national total to eight confirmed infections.
Director-General Patrick Amoth shared the news on local television. He stated that one person tested positive out of 38 tests conducted Sunday.
Also, the patient is a 49-year-old man. He works as an attendant cleaning medical linens and utensils.
The man likely had contact with Kenya’s first Ebola patient. That original patient died in a Nairobi hospital on October 5.
Meanwhile, the man started feeling sick on Saturday. He suffered from fever, headaches, and muscle pain before his diagnosis.
Authorities placed him in quarantine immediately. The Ministry of Health continues to track all people who had contact with infected individuals.
However, the virus poses a serious challenge for health teams. The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
As a result, doctors face a difficult situation. There is no vaccine or specific treatment available for this particular strain.
The virus spread into Kenya from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The DRC struggles with the deadliest outbreak in its history.
Furthermore, the DRC has recorded over 9,400 cases since May. More than 4,500 people have died from the disease there.
Now, officials in the DRC are taking strict steps to stop the spread. They are banning travel between provinces to limit movement.