Health authorities in Uasin Gishu are on high alert after a suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case was reported in Eldoret.

According to a county situation report dated Wednesday, May 20, the patient is a 29-year-old Kenyan truck driver.

The driver, based in Zambia, recently travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through JKIA before heading to Eldoret.

The suspected case was identified at St Luke’s Hospital in Kapsoya, Ainabkoi Sub-county, after the patient reportedly walked into the facility at around 4am seeking treatment.

Medical staff are said to have immediately isolated him after clinical assessment showed symptoms matching the Ebola suspected case definition.

The county report indicates that the man travelled from Lubumbashi in the DRC and arrived in Kenya on May 19. He reportedly first stayed at a residence in Nairobi before travelling to Eldoret later that day.

Health officials further stated that the patient had developed illness symptoms on May 13 while still in Lubumbashi, where he was admitted to Diamant Medical Centre and treated for conditions including sepsis, malaria and typhoid fever.

The patient was later placed in a designated holding area for isolation and further medical assessment. Uasin Gishu county authorities are yet to confirm whether the reported case is an actual Ebola Virus Disease infection.