Kenya confirms first Ebola case and first death

Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola, after a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the past seven years died in Nairobi.

Health Minister Aden Duale said the patient had fallen ill about a month ago and had been treated at several hospitals in DR Congo. He arrived in Nairobi on Saturday and underwent routine checks at the airport, before a relative took him to a hospital in the capital.

Laboratory tests confirmed that the patient was infected with the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. According to Minister Duale, he died a few days after arriving in Nairobi.

Kenyan authorities have begun tracing people who may have had contact with the patient, while the situation is being monitored to prevent the spread of the virus.

According to data released by the authorities, the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused more than 4,000 deaths this year, ranking among the deadliest Ebola outbreaks on record.