The United States and Kenya are reportedly in discussions
over plans to establish a quarantine facility in Kenya for American citizens
exposed to the ongoing Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC).
According to reports, the proposed facility would be staffed by members of the US Public Health Service and would isolate and monitor Americans considered at high risk of infection or those who test positive for the virus while in the region.
The plan, however, is yet to receive approval from the Kenyan government, with reports indicating Nairobi has sought additional foreign assistance as part of the discussions. The exact location of the proposed quarantine centre has also not been disclosed.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said he was not fully briefed on the matter and was unaware of any request tied to additional support.
The development comes amid growing global concern over the Ebola outbreak involving the rare Bundibugyo strain, which the World Health Organization has classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Recent figures indicate the outbreak has resulted in hundreds of suspected cases and deaths in the DRC, with Uganda also reporting confirmed infections and fatalities.
The U.S. has already intensified preventive measures, including enhanced airport screenings and travel restrictions for individuals recently in affected countries such as the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
Reports also indicate some U.S. public health officers have received notices preparing them for possible deployment to Kenya should the facility be approved.
Kenya has meanwhile heightened surveillance at border points and isolation preparedness measures as
On Wednesday, the government remains on high alert at all border points and within designated high-risk counties to stop Ebola from getting into the country, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said.
The CS said measures have been put in place to prevent potential infiltration of the deadly outbreak currently surging through the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and parts of neighboring Uganda.
"I urge residents, especially those along the border with Uganda, to treat the cautionary advisories from the Ministry of Health with the utmost seriousness and to adhere strictly to all guidelines issued," Duale stated.
The WHO warned of its severe nature, classifying it as a highly contagious and often fatal disease that is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
Unlike more common strains, the Bundibugyo virus currently lacks an approved vaccine or specific licensed therapeutic treatment, making aggressive containment the only viable line of defense.
In response to the mounting crisis, authorities took the drastic step of suspending all commercial flights to and from Bunia, the capital of the gold-rich Ituri province in eastern DRC, where the virus continues to spread rapidly.
