Kenya says no new Ebola cases since first-ever death

Kenyan authorities on Sunday said the country has recorded no new cases of Ebola following the death of a positive patient on October 5, according to a statement by the country's health ministry.

Kenya reported its first-ever case of the virus last week, after a 40-year-old man was tested positive in the Democratic Republic of Congo and travelled to Nairobi, where he died.

Authorities set out to trace the victim's contacts and urged people who developed symptoms to seek medical care.

Tests were conducted on 293 samples but none came back positive. Of the 122 people listed in the deceased patient's contact list, 108 are currently in quarantine and have not shown symptoms.

The Ministry of Health has urged the Kenyan population to remain vigilant and respect safety measures. The government has set up a phone number, 719, for anyone seeking information on Ebola.

Last week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said there was no Ebola outbreak in Kenya at this stage, but just an imported case.

The current Ebola outbreak in the DRC was declared on May 15 and is caused by the Bundibugyo strain for which there is currently no treatment or vaccine.

The country has recorded 8 978 cases and 4 336 deaths, according to figures released by the National Institute of Public Health on Sunday.