Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, has ordered the immediate halt to the construction of a US-funded Ebola quarantine building near Laikipia Air Base. This decision follows weeks of protests and legal challenges.
Duale’s directive came after he was found in contempt of court for permitting construction to proceed despite a previous court order to cease. The 50-bed facility, announced last month, was intended to serve as a treatment site for Americans potentially exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or Uganda. However, Kenyan citizens voiced strong opposition, citing concerns that the building would endanger the local population and place an undue burden on the nation’s healthcare system.
The Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to escalate, with over 1,048 cases and 267 deaths reported. The current outbreak is attributed to the Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no specific vaccines or treatments.
Children Face Significant Risks from Ebola, UNICEF Reports
New data from UNICEF highlights the severe impact of the outbreak on children. An estimated 2.95 million children and adolescents under 18 are at risk of contracting Ebola in the DRC. Children comprise 54% of the population in the 31 affected health zones, and many face the devastating loss of parents and caregivers.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated, "Our teams in Ituri have met children who have lost their mothers, and in some cases both parents, to Ebola." She added, "Children are trying to make sense of the threat while surrounded by rumors and online misinformation."
As of June 19, UNICEF estimates that children account for 15% of confirmed Ebola cases and over 25% of confirmed deaths in eastern DRC. Malnutrition is prevalent among children under five in these provinces, with over 20% having never received their initial vaccination.
"Children are especially vulnerable because they depend on caregivers and cannot distance themselves from a sick parent or sibling in the same way that an adult can," Russell explained. "To better protect children, we need sustained access, and the resources needed to reach every affected community."
Study Indicates Low Risk of Ebola Exportation
A recent study published in Eurosurveillance suggests a low risk of Ebola spreading beyond affected countries, based on historical data since the first outbreak in 1976.
Over the past five decades, researchers documented only 28 confirmed Ebola cases outside Africa. Of these, 25 were primary imported cases, and three were secondary cases infected within the United States or Europe. The vast majority of these cases, with one exception, occurred during the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, the largest recorded. The current outbreak has seen one case exported, an American doctor treated in Germany.
The study’s authors calculated the overall risk since 2000 to be approximately 0.17 Ebola disease cases outside Africa per 1,000 reported cases within Africa. They noted that nearly all confirmed cases outside Africa were linked to occupational exposures, often related to outbreak response efforts. The authors emphasized the critical role of local, community-based management and infection control measures in mitigating outbreak risks both regionally and internationally.