Five Ebola patients recover, 52 contacts remain in quarantine

Health DIrector General Patrick Amoth. [File, Standard]

Five patients being treated for Ebola have recovered and been discharged after laboratory tests confirmed they had cleared the virus, the Ministry of Health has announced.

The five men, two treated at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and three at The Nairobi Hospital, were discharged on Tuesday, November 3, after completing treatment and remaining symptom-free.

Their discharge leaves two patients still receiving treatment, one at each hospital.

Additionally, 46 contacts who completed their monitoring period without developing symptoms have been released from quarantine and reunited with their families.

They join 20 contacts who were released on October 25, bringing the total number of contacts discharged from quarantine to 66.

According to Health Director General Patrick Amoth, 52 contacts remain in quarantine and are expected to be released by November 11 after completing the mandatory 21-day monitoring period since their last exposure.

"Contacts who complete this quarantine period without developing any symptoms cannot transmit the disease and pose no risk to anyone," said Amoth, urging families and communities to welcome them without stigma.

Kenya's confirmed Ebola cases remain at nine, including two deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 22.2 per cent. All nine cases are linked to the first imported case.

According to Amoth, the country will begin a 42-day countdown towards declaring the outbreak over once the final patient has either recovered or been buried in accordance with public health protocols.