Panic in Eldoret as suspected Ebola case is quarantined

A nurse is assisted by a colleague in donning personal protective equipment (PPE) at an isolation facility prepared to receive potential Ebola patients during a media visit to Nairobi Hospital in Nairobi on October 7, 2026. [AFP]

There was panic at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) after one person who is suspected to have been aboard the plane that carried Kenya’s first Ebola case was traced to Eldoret.

According to the hospital authorities, the suspected case was isolated on Thursday.

MTRH asked patients to remain calm, saying the suspected Ebola case had tested negative and was being monitored in an isolation facility within the referral hospital.

MTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Philip Kirwa said the suspected case had come into contact with an infected person aboard an aircraft 21 days ago.

Dr Kirwa said the individual, who is under quarantine as a precaution, remains asymptomatic.

According to the CEO, the person has shown no signs of fever, bleeding, vomiting or diarrhoea and is being monitored in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health protocols.

The individual is awaiting completion of a mandatory 21-day monitoring period before being cleared for release, while all identified contacts have been followed up, said Dr Kirwa.

“MTRH reassures the public that all hospital services continue uninterrupted,” Dr Kirwa said in a statement on Thursday evening.

He added that the referral facility remains fully operational and that there has been no disruption to patient care or other essential services.

“There is no cause for panic,” Dr Kirwa said as he sought to calm fears over the monitoring exercise.

He said MTRH was working closely with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to strengthen surveillance, early detection, infection prevention and control, case management and community engagement.

The CEO said in the statement that a trained multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team continued to conduct simulation exercises, departmental training and refresher sessions for frontline staff to strengthen preparedness for a possible outbreak.

“We are also intensifying public sensitisation through triage areas, media engagements, religious and community leaders and other local stakeholders,” he said.

He went on to state: “Special attention is being given to communities involved in cross-border movement, including long-distance truck drivers, with the hospital seeking to promote awareness of Ebola symptoms, prevention, early reporting and appropriate referral.”

MTRH asked Kenyans to maintain proper hand hygiene, remain vigilant and follow Ministry of Health guidance.

“We remain committed to heightened preparedness, continuous surveillance and coordinated response in line with national and international health protocols. Anyone experiencing symptoms suggestive of EVD, particularly after contact with a suspected or confirmed case, to seek medical attention promptly and disclose any relevant exposure history to healthcare workers,” he said.