Kenya issues alert on spread of Marburg virus disease
Kenya shares strong air and road connections with Rwanda, with daily flights and frequent road travel and trade routes.
NAIROBI - Kenya's Ministry of Health has said that the country is on high alert following notification of an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Rwanda amid fears of cross-border transmissions, reported Xinhua.
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Deborah Barasa, said Kenya shares strong air and road connections with Rwanda, with daily flights and frequent road travel and trade routes.
"The ministry is instituting urgent measures to forestall importation of cases and subsequent transmission across the country," Barasa said in a statement released in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, Tuesday evening.
MVD is an acute, severe viral hemorrhagic fever that is highly transmissible and cases can spread rapidly within a short time.
Barasa said so far, no cases have been reported in the country, stressing that surveillance has been enhanced in all counties and at all points of entry.
The ministry urged the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual fever and bleeding symptoms, especially among those with recent travel to affected areas.
Barasa said Kenya is keen to safeguard public health and ensure that Kenyans are informed and protected from any potential health threats. - BERNAMA-XINHUA
