Seven. That's Kenya's confirmed Ebola count now, up from one when we last spoke. And inside Congo, the virus has turned up in an eighth province, this one on the border with the Central African Republic. It's Monday, October 19th, and this is Ebola Watch. Two stories today, both about the map getting bigger, and what that does and doesn't mean for anyone with plans in the region.
From the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, in a statement Saturday:
According to the Ministry of Health, all four new cases were detected among individuals already under quarantine following exposure to the initial case. They include three healthcare workers and one family member. All four individuals are receiving supportive care at a designated treatment facility.
Last Wednesday Kenya was still a one-case story. The man who fell ill in Congo, went by road to Kampala, flew to Nairobi, and died October 5th. What changed? On Wednesday the 14th, the Health Ministry confirmed a second case: a 39-year-old relative of that first patient, already in quarantine when symptoms began. A second relative followed. Then on Saturday, four more. Seven confirmed, one death. Three health workers. That's the part that stops me. It should. Africa CDC used the statement to press for protective equipment and training for frontline staff. But the line I'd underline is that all four were already quarantined when they tested positive. Kenya reports 128 of 130 identified contacts traced and quarantined, 98.5 percent, with two still being located. The ministry says there is no evidence of community transmission. Versus Congo, where the CDC notice we covered put tracing coverage at 80 percent. Very different scale. Congo is chasing thousands of chains; Kenya is chasing one. Containment there means nobody turns up sick who isn't already on that list. So say I'm in Nairobi, or landing there next week. What do I do? Follow the Health Ministry's guidance; its toll-free line is 719. Kenya has tightened screening at the Busia crossing and the Nairobi airport. And nothing in today's reporting says the U.S. has added Kenya to the entry restrictions we discussed last week. After this week, somebody in Washington is going to ask.
Dubai Eye 103.8, carried by Cuppa and drawing on Reuters:
The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to an eighth province, North Ubangi, Congo's public health institute said on Sunday, confirming earlier Reuters reporting.
Where is North Ubangi, for those of us without a provincial map on the fridge? A long way from the epicenter. Ituri sits in the northeast against Uganda; North Ubangi runs along Congo's northern border with the Central African Republic. The two cases are in the Wapinda health zone, a mining area where suspicious deaths prompted testing. Both are men in their twenties, and one has died. How they were infected hasn't been disclosed. And Reuters had this back on Thursday? From two health officials, before any announcement. Sunday's confirmation closes that gap. The national count? As of October 16th, 9,415 confirmed cases and 4,536 deaths, a case fatality rate of 48.2 percent, across 66 health zones in eight provinces. On Wednesday we gave you 9,066 confirmed as of October 11th. That works out to roughly 70 new confirmed cases a day. Same pace, plus a new border. One more move from inside Congo. Per the Congolese Press Agency, North Kivu is barring entry to people arriving from Ituri for one week, starting today, which the province has also declared Stop Ebola Day. Burials are capped at 20 family members. And WHO has warned that closures push people toward unmonitored crossings. That's the tension to watch this week: whether a provincial closure slows the virus, or just moves the traffic away from the checkpoints.
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We'll be back tomorrow, Tuesday, with Kenya's next contact update and whatever Congo reports from North Ubangi. Ebola Watch is a Lantern Podcast. Look after each other.