Chinese Embassy in Kenya tells citizens to avoid Ebola-affected areas

The Chinese Embassy in Kenya issued a notice on the evening of 7 October asking Chinese citizens in the country to pay attention to Kenya's imported Ebola case, China News Service reported on 8 October.

The embassy advised citizens to avoid affected areas. People who have recently been in an affected area, or who shared a flight with a suspected case, should follow Kenyan health authorities' guidance and complete 21 days of self-monitoring of their health, and anyone with suspected symptoms should seek medical care. The notice gave a consular protection hotline, +254-20-2711222.

The notice said Kenya's Ministry of Health reported on 6 October one imported death from Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The patient caught the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), travelled overland to Kampala in Uganda, flew to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on 3 October, was taken to Nairobi Hospital and was declared dead on the evening of 5 October. The embassy said identified close contacts were under strict monitoring and the overall situation was controllable.

On 8 October Kenya's foreign ministry, working with the Ministry of Health, briefed the diplomatic community on the response. According to the foreign ministry's website, one imported case had been confirmed, 57 contacts had been identified and were being monitored, and more than 652,000 travellers had been screened at 15 points of entry.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said at the briefing that the single imported case did not, on its own, indicate widespread transmission. The foreign ministry also listed 268 samples tested and 241 isolation, treatment and quarantine beds.