Kenya reports first-ever Ebola case amid deadly DR Congo outbreak

Kenya has confirmed its first-ever Ebola case after a man who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo died from the virus, health officials said Tuesday.

Health Minister Aden Duale said the man had lived in the DRC for seven years and became ill about a month ago.

He travelled through Uganda before flying from Kampala to Nairobi on October 3.

The patient was taken to Nairobi Hospital and immediately isolated with symptoms including fever, fatigue, muscle pain and bleeding under the skin, with tests later confirming Ebola.

Duale said the patient “regrettably passed on last night at around 1130”.

Officials have identified 28 contacts, including relatives and healthcare workers, and are tracing another 23 passengers and four crew members from his flight.

“I wish to assure the public not to panic, as all systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease,” Duale said.

The case comes as Ebola continues spreading in the DRC, where 4,082 people have died among 8,463 confirmed cases as of October 2.

Médecins Sans Frontières has warned of an “alarming surge” in North Kivu province, which now accounts for 40 percent of new cases.