From The Star

The World Health Organisation has classified Kenya as a level 2 high risk infection area for the Ebola Virus Disease.

WHO representative to Kenya Dr Custodia Mandhate said the classification level was reached at following a risk analysis conducted in the country in the wake of the outbreak of the disease in Guinea on March 21.

As of Monday, in the six months that the disease has spread, a total of 1,013 deaths have been reported out of a total of 1,848 reported cases Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Mandhate said that 5000 pieces of protective equipment and resources have been dispatched to Kenya by WHO to help in surveillance and treatment in the event of detection of EVD.

“We need to be more informed and stop spreading news of fear and panic about the Ebola outbreak,” Mandhate said.

Health CS James Macharia while speaking at a press briefing on the country’s preparedness to deal with EVD at the Lico Regency Wednesday, said that a regional and global approach is the best avenue to prevent further spread of Ebola.

Macharia said that already within the country there is a joint preventive effort by the Ministry of Health, national carrier Kenya Airways, the Kenya Airports Authority, the Kenya Medical Research Institute and WHO in tackling EVD.

Macharia however ruled out the option to ban flights to and from the affected West African Countries as Kenya Airways is one of three carries that transit to the Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Read more at The Star