Kenyan health authorities have officially announced the detection of an eighth Ebola case, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the East African nation to eight. The development highlights ongoing struggles to contain the spillover of the deadly virus from neighbouring regions.

Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth purportedly stated that out of 38 individuals tested on Sunday, one returned a positive result. The patient is allegedly a 49-year-old man who worked as a hospital attendant cleaning utensils and linens, rather than a healthcare professional, and presented symptoms including fever, headache, and muscle pain.

Officials claim the man likely had exposure to Kenya's index Ebola patient, who traveled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and died in Nairobi earlier in October. The patient developed symptoms on Saturday, prompting immediate quarantine and testing by the Ministry of Health, which has previously reported multiple infections among medical staff.

Kenya remains on high alert as the outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain for which no vaccine or specific treatment exists, continues to threaten public safety. The regional healthcare infrastructure faces mounting pressure as neighboring nations grapple with thousands of cases originating from the DRC.

Source: www.aljazeera.com