Visitors arriving in Kenya from Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Angola, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Zambia have been designated as being at high risk of Ebola spread and will use one gate at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The Ministry of Health says passengers arriving from the 10 countries will be directed to Gate 16, where enhanced screening will be conducted as Kenya strengthens measures to prevent further transmission following confirmation of its first imported Ebola case.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni announced the measure on Wednesday during a visit to JKIA to assess the country’s preparedness and ongoing surveillance at the port of entry.
Muthoni said the enhanced measures are intended to strengthen screening and surveillance while ensuring the safety of passengers passing through the airport. She emphasised that Kenya does not have an Ebola outbreak, but is managing an imported case involving a traveller who had travelled from the DRC through Uganda.
The government is pursuing 57 contacts linked to the confirmed case, with health authorities working to identify, isolate and monitor people who may have been exposed.
Muthoni also said passengers should complete the online health declaration form before arriving at the airport to help reduce congestion and enable health officials to obtain relevant information in advance.
She added that Kenya may introduce exit screening to ensure passengers leaving the country are also assessed and to prevent the possible exportation of the virus to other destinations.
The PS urged travellers to observe strict hygiene measures, including washing and sanitising their hands regularly. She also advised the public to reduce unnecessary physical contact, including handshakes and hugs, as Ebola spreads through contact with an infected person or contaminated materials.
Speaking after Muthoni, Dr Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency response teams at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), commended Kenya’s response to the imported case.
Mankoula said the country had acted quickly to trace the patient’s movements from the DRC through Uganda and identify people who may have come into contact with the case, including passengers, family members and healthcare workers.
He said continued contact tracing is critical at this stage to prevent the imported case from resulting in further transmission in Kenya.
Mankoula urged anyone who may have been in contact with the patient to communicate with the Ministry of Health and provide the relevant information so that appropriate measures can be taken.
The enhanced screening at Gate 16 forms part of Kenya’s wider Ebola preparedness measures, alongside contact tracing, surveillance and continued training of healthcare workers.
