Health experts have enhanced research in Kenya following an examination that found two Kenyans with traces of the dangerous Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
The two from Tana River County - man and woman - are the first in Africa to be found with elements of the disease only common in the Middle East especially, Saudi Arabia.
The discovery published in a Scientific journal titled Emerging Infectious Diseases highlighted that the 58-year old man and 26-year old woman had the virus' antibodies, which proved that the duo contracted the disease but their bodies managed it.
In the report, MERS, which causes severe respiratory problems, is responsible for 600 deaths globally.
The survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the University of Bonn Medical Centre, cited that the spread of the disease was linked to presence of camels.
“Neither of the two individuals owned camels. Nevertheless, camels roam in Tana River, and humans have regular contact with them,” Dr Anne Liljander, who was part of the research team said, adding that camels carry the MERS virus.
Experts are currently trying to establish whether there are other cases of people with the virus in the country.
However, Dr Ahmed Kalebi, a pathologist and University of Nairobi lecturer, assured that there was no cause of alarm, as the two could not spread the disease.
"Out of the 1122 samples from livestock handlers that were tested for the virus, only two showed evidence of having been infected in the past. Furthermore, the level of their antibodies as reported suggests they were probably infected a long time prior to the samples being collected," Kalebi was quoted by the Standard.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), MERS was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States.
Infected persons develop severe acute respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
