Residents from one of the Nairobi’s estates, Eastleigh and South C have been warned to stay alert over possible infection of the yellow fever virus. This comes after two patients who arrived from Angola were confirmed to be carrying the virus. One patient from in Eastleigh and the other one from South C. The doctors have not yet disclosed their names due to privacy issues.
Both patients had complained of headache, fever, muscle pain, vomiting and loss of appetite when they reported to their nearest medical facilities.
Dr. Benjamin Muia urged the residents from the two estates to clear mosquito breeding areas and ensure that they sleep under a treated mosquito net.
Dr. Muia also urged the residents not to panic as the disease is not contagious and it only spreads through a mosquito bite but not human to human.
“The disease is incurable, but the county has enough vaccines for those who need them,” Dr. Muia said.
The disease takes three to six days to incubate before its symptoms shows up. The symptoms include headache, fever, muscle pain, vomiting, nausea and lack of appetite.
Kenya has since increased the surveillance of the yellow fever disease since one person died while undergoing treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital, the patient had just returned from Angola.
This was the second case of yellow fever being reported in Kenya in a span of one month.
By Simon Ingari
