The Missed Diagnosis: Journey of Kenya's Ebola Patient Zero
The route Kenya's first Ebola patient took from Buta, DR Congo, to Nairobi, Kenya: 40 days, three countries, 2,000+ km.
He fell ill in a town in northern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) in September. For four weeks he moved between health facilities, and no one suspected Ebola. Then he slipped across a closed border, boarded a bus, flew to Nairobi, and was dead two days later. Scroll to trace his journey.
1
Closed border crossed
135
Contacts identified in Kenya
2
Flights
5 Oct
Confirmed and died, Nairobi
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Three chances to stop it
40days from home in Buta to death in Nairobi
135contacts identified in Kenya by 20 Oct, 134 traced
9confirmed cases in Kenya, 1 death
0approved vaccines for Bundibugyo virus
No single failure explains how the virus reached Nairobi. A month of treatment for other illnesses, a closed border crossed by road, screening in two countries: each was a chance to catch it. Each was missed.
Missed at the clinic
His fever and rash were read as a staphylococcal infection. No facility in DR Congo suspected Ebola, Africa CDC says.
Missed at the border
Beni is one of the outbreak's hotspots. He crossed into Uganda by road even though the border was officially closed.
Missed at screening
Ugandan officials say his temperature was normal when he was screened, and he passed the thermal scanners at Nairobi's airport. Kenya's health ministry says medicine he had taken masked his symptoms.
Symptoms? Fever, unusual tiredness, muscle or joint pains, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding: report it at once at the nearest health facility, or call the Ministry of Health's toll-free line 719.
