Kenyais rushing to contain Ebola linked to the deadliest outbreak on record in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) .
asserted
Kenyais → rush → Congo
The East African nation has reported two cases and one death, while the DRC has reported over 9,000 cases and 4,400 deaths.
asserted
DRC → report → cases
Kenya's first Ebola patient died at Nairobi hospital on October 5.
asserted
patient → die → October
The 40-year-old Kenyan had traveled by road from the DRC to Uganda before boarding a flight to Nairobi in Entebbe on October 3.
asserted
Kenyan → travel → October
One of his relatives is now confirmed to have contracted the virus.
asserted
One → confirm → virus
The 39-year-old was under quarantine when he developed symptoms on October 13.
asserted
he → develop → October
"Both cases are linked, and there is no evidence of spread in the wider community," Kenya's health ministry said.
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ministry → link → community
Contact tracing has been ongoing since officials first detected the case.
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officials → detect → case
Of the 128 people who came into contact with the first Ebola patient, 113 have been identified, according to the health ministry.
uncertain
113 → come → ministry
All, except five—who are in unspecified countries abroad—have been quarantined.
asserted
who → quarantine → countries
Should Kenyans worry about Ebola spreading?
asserted
Ebola → worry → ?
Public anxiety is rising, with fears of lockdowns and economic disruption and skepticism about government readiness.
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anxiety → rise → readiness
"It's a very dangerous disease, so it's very shocking," a Nairobi resident told DW.
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resident → tell → DW
Another citizen said he was disappointed: "The government has been caught unaware.
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government → say → ?
It appears to me that the government was not prepared, especially at the entry point of this particular person who was found to be suffering from Ebola."
asserted
who → appear → Ebola
One woman said she felt there was a lack of public information on the disease.
asserted
she → say → disease
"The government should do more in educating and sensitizing about it, and raising awareness," she said.
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she → do → awareness
Kenya's Health Ministry, through its Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, has been seeking to allay fears, urging Kenyans to remain vigilant and encouraging anyone who develops symptoms to report to the nearest medical facility.
asserted
who → seek → facility
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), symptoms can develop between 2 and 21 days after infection.
uncertain
symptoms → accord → infection
Early symptoms include: fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.
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symptoms → include → fever
Later, a patient may suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and kidney and liver infection.
uncertain
patient → suffer → vomiting
However, these symptoms might be similar to other illnesses such as malaria or typhoid, and only an Ebola test can confirm if one has been exposed to the virus.
uncertain
one → confirm → virus
Criticism and calls to improve screening
Several prominent figures, medical unions and opposition politicians have criticized Kenya's response to its first Ebola cases.
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figures → improve → cases
Former Chief Justice David Maraga, who has declared interest in running for the presidency in the 2027 election, questioned how a man carrying the Ebola virus could pass through screening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.
uncertain
man → declare → Airport
"We don't know how many have been infected.
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many → know → ?
We must demand appropriate action be taken so that we don't have deaths arising from that disease," Maraga told The Standard.
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Maraga → demand → Standard
Kalonzo Musyoka, Kenya's vice president from 2008 to 2013, meanwhile noted that doctors at Nairobi Hospital, not border systems, detected the danger.
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doctors → note → danger
Dr. Dennis Miskellah of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union believes that the Ebola cases show that Kenya's health system is not pandemic-ready.
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system → believe → Union
This system did not learn from the COVID pandemic that we had a few years ago," he said.
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he → learn → that
"Since May, we've had this outbreak in the region.
uncertain
we → have → region
Uganda, our immediate neighbor, had almost 20 cases.
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Uganda → have → cases
So, we had ample time to prepare adequately.
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we → have → time
But it seems like somebody dropped the ball."
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somebody → seem → ball
Kenya went on high alert after the DRC declared the Ebola outbreak in May.
uncertain
DRC → go → May
The government designated several hospitals as isolation centers.
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government → designate → centers
It also enhanced screening at airports and border points, deploying mobile labs.
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It → enhance → labs
Flights from several African countries were ordered to land in designated airport wings for screening.
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Flights → order → screening
"Top of it all is that there's has been a serious lapse of leadership in governance of healthcare this country," said Miskellah.
asserted
Miskellah → ' → healthcare
"All those broken pillars, there's no clear responsibility or chain of command, whether its the Ministry of Health or the 47 county governments who are semi-automous.
asserted
who → be → Health
Rural facilities lack resources such as the protective gear available at major hospitals, according to Miskellah.
uncertain
facilities → lack → Miskellah
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
