Health officials investigate possible Ebola link between Kenya and Nigeria cases

Health officials are investigating whether the first Ebola patients confirmed in Kenya and Nigeria crossed paths at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport on Oct. 3. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said both patients were at the airport that day.

As of 23 October, Kenya had reported nine cases, including one death, and Nigeria had reported one case, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Eight Kenyan cases were linked to the first case, who traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda to Kenya.

The Nigerian patient is a Uganda-born wife of a diplomat who traveled in Uganda in September. Nigeria is tracing 44 contacts, with additional contacts identified, according to officials. The source of her infection remains under investigation. Ugandan authorities said she traveled to Congo, a claim Nigerian health officials disputed. ECDC assessed the overall risk to the EU/EEA population as very low and does not recommend travel restrictions to or from Kenya and Nigeria.