Kenya protests Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend travel and stop issuing visas over Ebola
Kenya has protested Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend travel from the country and stop issuing visas to Kenyan travellers, arguing that the restrictions are excessive and do not reflect the current Ebola situation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 31, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the government was concerned about the measures, maintaining that Kenya’s response to the outbreak did not justify such restrictions.
The Ministry of Health said the decision by Saudi Arabia was inconsistent with the available epidemiological information, pointing to ongoing efforts to contain the virus and prevent further infections.
“The Ministry of Health-Kenya has noted with concern the extreme measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the Ebola situation in the country. We reiterate that the measures taken are not only excessive but not backed by the current epidemiological situation in the country,” the statement read.
Saudi Arabia announced a suspension of travel by its citizens to Kenya, halted the issuance of all visa categories to Kenyan travellers and barred entry into the Kingdom for people arriving from Kenya. The restrictions also apply to travellers transiting through other countries after leaving Kenya.
The Saudi authorities said the decision followed an assessment by their public health officials and was intended to prevent the spread of Ebola into the Kingdom.
However, Duale maintained that Kenya had taken steps to identify and monitor people who may have come into contact with infected individuals.
According to the Health CS, all 135 contacts linked to the imported case had been identified and traced, with 118 placed under quarantine as part of the containment measures.
He added that confirmed infections linked to the initial case had remained within the same cluster, with no evidence of transmission in the wider community. The ministry also reported that no new infections had been recorded since October 19.
By October 26, Kenya had reported nine confirmed Ebola infections and two deaths. Health authorities subsequently intensified contact tracing, testing, surveillance and screening at points of entry to limit the spread of the virus.
Duale further disclosed that five of the seven patients undergoing treatment had recorded their first negative Ebola tests. The patients were awaiting a second test scheduled for Monday, November 2, to establish whether they had cleared the infection.
The ministry said the five patients could be discharged on Tuesday, November 3, if they met the required medical conditions.
Another 46 contacts who were under quarantine and had not developed symptoms were also expected to be released, alongside the 20 people who had already completed their monitoring period.
The government said it would continue monitoring the situation while engaging international partners on the response to the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is expected to continue diplomatic engagement with Saudi Arabia in an effort to address the travel restrictions.
Duale called for cooperation and support from other countries, arguing that international efforts to contain Ebola should take into account Kenya’s response measures and the available public health evidence rather than relying on broad travel limitations.
“The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs will continue to engage the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on this matter,” the statement added.
Source: mambo msg to
According to the Health CS, all 135 contacts linked to the imported case had been identified and traced, with 118 placed under quarantine as part of the containment measures.
He added that confirmed infections linked to the initial case had remained within the same cluster, with no evidence of transmission in the wider community. The ministry also reported that no new infections had been recorded since October 19.
By October 26, Kenya had reported nine confirmed Ebola infections and two deaths. Health authorities subsequently intensified contact tracing, testing, surveillance and screening at points of entry to limit the spread of the virus.
Duale further disclosed that five of the seven patients undergoing treatment had recorded their first negative Ebola tests. The patients were awaiting a second test scheduled for Monday, November 2, to establish whether they had cleared the infection.
The ministry said the five patients could be discharged on Tuesday, November 3, if they met the required medical conditions.
Another 46 contacts who were under quarantine and had not developed symptoms were also expected to be released, alongside the 20 people who had already completed their monitoring period.
The government said it would continue monitoring the situation while engaging international partners on the response to the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is expected to continue diplomatic engagement with Saudi Arabia in an effort to address the travel restrictions.
Duale called for cooperation and support from other countries, arguing that international efforts to contain Ebola should take into account Kenya’s response measures and the available public health evidence rather than relying on broad travel limitations.
“The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs will continue to engage the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on this matter,” the statement added.
Source: mambo msg to
