Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret has cleared 10 patients suspected of having Ebola after laboratory tests returned negative, easing concerns over possible infections at the facility.
The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Philip Kirwa, said all the patients had tested negative for the virus and were released from isolation.
Kirwa added that most of the patients tested positive for malaria and had since received appropriate treatment.
“We have also received all the necessary material we require for the isolation and treatment of Ebola cases and protective gear for staff,” Kirwa said.
He spoke on Wednesday, October 28, during a briefing at the hospital attended by a parliamentary departmental committee led by Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli.
Kirwa said the facility had adequate isolation capacity, including a 30-bed intensive care unit that can also be used to isolate patients during public health emergencies.
He added that the hospital was prepared to handle Ebola and other emerging infectious diseases, with surveillance and infection prevention measures in place.
The parliamentary team visited the hospital to assess its operations and the use of funds allocated to the facility.
Sunkuli said the committee was satisfied with the hospital’s utilisation of funds for staff costs and development projects. However, he noted that the committee would examine delays in the disbursement of funds for the 2025/2026 financial year.
The latest update comes as Kenya continues to manage an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease, a strain of Ebola, following the confirmation of nine cases, including two deaths.
On October 26, the Ministry of Health announced that the first 20 contacts of confirmed cases had completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period without developing symptoms and had been cleared to return home.
The ministry said the remaining contacts would be released in phases after completing the required monitoring period and undergoing health assessments.
Despite the negative results at MTRH, health authorities continue to urge Kenyans to remain vigilant, observe hygiene measures and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms after possible exposure.
The outbreak response includes surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and infection prevention measures aimed at preventing further transmission.
The government has maintained that the outbreak is not over and that monitoring and containment efforts will continue until the required conditions for declaring it over have been met.
