Kenyans in border town 'afraid' of Ebola risk after first death
Residents in a Kenyan border town are expressing fear following the country's first recorded death from Ebola, which involved a businessman who had traveled from the DRC via Uganda. Authorities are increasing screening measures, though some locals argue that these efforts need to be expanded to rural areas.
Why it matters
Effective border screening and public health communication are essential to preventing the spread of highly infectious diseases in interconnected regions.
Kenyans in a border town with Uganda express a mixture of fear and confidence about the Ebola situation after Kenya reported its first ever death from the disease earlier this month.
The man who died of the disease had just returned from the DR Congo via Uganda. “I heard Ebola killed so many in Congo, sweeping it clean,” says Phelister Nekesa, after returning to Kenya following a visit to Uganda. “So, I am very afraid of seeing people crossing the border anyhow without proper care.”
After the man's reported death the authorities said they would be stepping up Ebola screening at all entry points to the country, but some feel this is not enough.
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