Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki on Thursday announced the screening of all travellers at JKIA, Busia and Malaba border points after an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The CS assured that adequate steps had been taken to ensure the disease is not spread into the country.
"Following an outbreak of Ebola in DRC., my @MOH_Kenya is now conducting routine screening of all travellers at JKIA, Busia and Malaba border points. In these places, we have installed Thermal Guns to detect elevated temperatures.
"Further, we have established the National Health Emergencies Council whose role among others will be to act expeditiously to prevent any importation of Ebola or any other disease of public health importance," stated the CS.
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She urged Kenyans to remain calm as the situation is under control.
"Kenyans should be calm since we have tested capacity to detect and respond swiftly to any disease emergencies.
"Additionally, the Ministry of Health will issue a formal alert to all health providers and Kenyans making them aware of the outbreak in the DRC outlining the measures to take including enhanced surveillance and preparedness," she added.
17 people in northwest DRC have died from Ebola, the health ministry said on Tuesday, describing the fresh outbreak as a "public health emergency with international impact."
"Twenty-one cases of fever with haemorrhagic indications and 17 deaths" have been recorded in Equateur province, it said, citing a notification to the ministry as of May 3.
It is the DRC's ninth known outbreak of Ebola since 1976 when the deadly viral disease was first identified in then-Zaire by a Belgian-led team.
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