Kenya government shares Ebola alert ahead of festive season
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has shared a list of people who are at a high risk of getting Ebola.
Via a tweet, MOH also asked Kenyans to be cautious and protect themselves against the disease following an outbreak in neighbouring Uganda.
As Kenyans and the whole world break for Christmas where they shall mingle and interact with people they love and care for, the MOH shared that the following are at risk of contracting Ebola.
“Healthcare providers of Ebola patients. Family members and close contacts of an Ebola-infected person. Hunters, butchers, and handlers of wild animals and products and veterinarians and travellers who have visited the affected regions and their close contacts.”
Hunters, butchers, handlers of wild animals and products and Veterinarians are at high risk of getting Ebola virus disease. For more information call: 0729471414 or 0732353535 or 719 #Ebolavirusdisease #EVDawareness #TujikingenaEbola pic.twitter.com/nN0iGlSL5i
— Ministry of Health (@MOH_Kenya) December 19, 2022
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Ebola is a severe, often fatal illness affecting humans and other primates. The symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle, pain, headache, and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.
The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals (such as fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates) and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids.
People who are infected do not become contagious until symptoms appear, which is after an incubation period of between two and 21 days.
It can be difficult to clinically distinguish Eboal Virus Disease (EVD) from other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the death rate is typically high, ranging up to 90 per cent in some outbreaks. However, the average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.
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