The Ministry of Health issued a public alert following the confirmation of an outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease from neighboring Ethiopia.
The Ministry of Health in Ethiopia reported nine cases on November 14 in Jinka Town in the South Ethiopia Region, and this raised concern across the region.
The Director-General of the Kenya National Public Health Institute, Kamene Kimenye, said Kenya remains vulnerable due to its close travel and trade links with Ethiopia, warning that the situation calls for “heightened vigilance and stronger preparedness.”
Marburg belongs to the same virus family as Ebola. It spreads to humans via fruit bats and can pass from person to person through contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. There is currently no approved treatment or vaccine against the disease.
“In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been recorded in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda,” Kimenye said in a statement issued on Tuesday, November 18.
The Ministry of Health has instructed counties to immediately enhance disease surveillance in hospitals, communities, and at all border points, including the screening of travelers, active tracing of cases, and reporting suspected infections through the national disease monitoring platforms.
The counties are also required to prepare isolation facilities, ensuring that referral processes are in place so that the suspected cases can be transported safely and swiftly.
All health facilities have to follow strict IPC measures, including proper use of PPE, frequent handwashing, safe disposal of waste, and thorough cleaning of the hospital environment.
“Counties should identify functional isolation units and train health workers on the identification of MVD, triaging, supportive care, and referral procedures,” the Ministry advised.
The Ministry has also pointed out that the collection of the laboratory samples should be done safely, along with their transportation, under strict biosafety protocol measures in coordination with the NPHL.
The community health promoters and local leaders are encouraged to pass on the information to the community on the symptoms, prevention, and when one should seek care.
People in Kenya have been advised to avoid contact with body fluids, such as blood, vomit, and urine, of a suspected or confirmed Marburg Virus Disease case, and items that are contaminated by these fluids.
The public is also encouraged to wash hands frequently especially after caring for sick individuals and to follow safe burial practices for anyone who may have died from a viral hemorrhagic fever.
Additionally, the Ministry has warned against handling or eating bushmeat, particularly bats and monkeys, which are known carriers of Marburg and similar high-risk viruses.
