NAIROBI, Kenya- Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has criticised Saudi Arabia’s Ebola-related travel restrictions on Kenya, describing them as excessive and unsupported by the country’s current epidemiological situation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 31, Duale said Kenya had traced all 135 contacts linked to the imported index case, with 118 placed under quarantine.
He said all eight other confirmed cases were connected to the index case: four were health workers and four were close family members.
“We have not had any transmission of the disease outside this cluster and I reiterate we have NO evidence of community transmission,” Duale said.
Kenya has not reported a new case since October 19, according to the Health Ministry.
The outbreak has recorded nine cases in total, including the imported case, while seven patients remain under care following two deaths.
Five patients await second test
Duale said five of the seven patients had returned an initial negative Ebola test after completing treatment.
They were due for a second test on Monday, November 2, with the ministry expressing hope they could be discharged the following day.
The ministry also said 46 people who remained symptom-free in quarantine could be released on November 3, in addition to 20 contacts who had already completed their monitoring period.
The statement came a day after Saudi Arabia announced measures that include suspending travel by Saudi citizens to Kenya, stopping visa issuance to travellers from Kenya and barring entry to people who had stayed in Kenya or another Ebola-affected country within the previous 21 days.
The restrictions also cover travellers arriving through third countries.
Duale said the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs would continue engaging Riyadh over the decision.
He urged the international community to support Kenya’s response rather than impose travel restrictions.
“Kenya has demonstrated leadership, Kenya has demonstrated transparency, what we require from the international community is support and collaboration, not condemnation, not travel restrictions and certainly not isolation,” he said.
The World Health Organization has reported that all of Kenya’s cases are linked to one cluster and that there is no evidence of spread in the community.
WHO advises against travel restrictions on affected countries and recommends evidence-based measures such as screening, surveillance and contact tracing.
