Somalia has released a citizen from Ebola quarantine after two negative tests and 21 days of monitoring following contact with a person who died of the virus in Kenya.
MOGADISHU (Somali Report) — A Somali national who had contact with a person who died of Ebola in neighbouring Kenya has tested negative for the virus twice and been released from quarantine after completing a 21-day monitoring period, Somalia’s health ministry said.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said the individual had shown no symptoms associated with Ebola during the monitoring period. Somalia has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases, the ministry added.
The individual was admitted to an Ebola quarantine and treatment centre at Forlanini Hospital in Mogadishu on October 12 after authorities established that he had direct contact with a person who died of the disease in Kenya on October 5.
The ministry said the first test, conducted in Somalia on October 12, returned a negative result. A second sample was sent to an external laboratory on October 19 to verify the initial findings, with the results received on October 23 again confirming that the individual was not infected.
The decision to release the individual followed the two negative test results, completion of the 21-day monitoring period and an assessment of the potential public health risk, in accordance with national and international health protocols, the ministry said.
It stressed that the quarantine had been imposed because of the individual’s exposure to the virus outside Somalia and did not indicate an outbreak within the country.
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The ministry said it was continuing to strengthen surveillance for infectious diseases, preparedness at points of entry and preventive measures to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
It also urged the public to obtain health information from official sources and avoid spreading unverified reports that could cause unnecessary concern.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause outbreaks with high fatality rates. Symptoms can include sudden fever, severe fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea. In some cases, patients may also experience bleeding.
Symptoms typically develop between two and 21 days after exposure to the virus, making monitoring of people who have been in contact with confirmed cases an important public health measure.
Health authorities generally combine contact tracing, symptom monitoring, laboratory testing and isolation where necessary to limit the risk of transmission.
Somalia’s health ministry did not report any additional suspected cases in the statement, reiterating that the individual’s release followed the completion of the required monitoring and testing procedures.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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