There is no Ebola in Kericho, residents told

Kericho Health Executive Shadrack Mutai.

The Kericho county government stated Ebola tests are negative.

The medical tests results by Kemri laboratory which analysed the blood samples of the suspected Ebola case indicate the patient had no Ebola.

In press a briefing, Governor Paul Chepkwony said the laboratory also undertook tests for other viral haemorrhagic fever, which includes Yellow Fever, Rift Valley Fever and Cremean Congo Fever, were also negative.

“A test for Malaria on the sample was also negative,” he said.

Chepkwony added:“We wish to state that the patient is free of Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fever. As a county we remain high alert for any suspected cases."

Despite news that a patient suspected to be infected with the Ebola virus, business in Kericho town went on generally unaffected.

The street talk though was the disease as residents and businesses men kept calling reporters and other sources for “latest” updates.

“The disease is very scary. Please tell me the latest update you have managed to gather,” Reuben Yegon of Ray’s Hotel said.

Health CS Sicily Kariuki has assured the public that no cases of Ebola have been reported in Kenya.

The CS said the ministry has deployed 229 staff at various points of entry, including 21 Ebola champions.

The Rapid Surveillance and Response Team has examined the patient at Kericho who had travelled from Malaba town on the Kenya-Uganda Border who is in stable condition and confirms that she DOES NOT meet the case definition for Ebola @SicilyKariuki @KBCChannel1 @PDUDelivery pic.twitter.com/TVAva7s68B — Ministry of Health (@MOH_Kenya) June 17, 2019

The debate was ablaze in Kericho Reports, a popular WhatsApp  group.

“Kericho as a county deserves special prayers. 2019 has remained the worst in terms of Breaking News,” posted Dickson Sang, the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union branch executive.

An impatient Janet Koech from Chepseon lamented over the time it had taken for the medical results to be announced, despite Health executive Dr Shadrack Mutai saying the medial results could take at least 12 hours.

“The county is leaving us to hold our breath for too long."

Rubani Chepkwony,  a former Army pilot who now flies private aeroplanes across Africa, laughed off Kericho Residents worries.

“We operate with Ebola cases in Democratic Republic of Congo. Just follow the instructions. Ebola is transmitted through fluids and close contact; it is not like flu which one can get through sneezing,” he said.

Pastor Allan Kiombe took relief in CS Kariuki's announcement that the Kericho case was not Ebola.

“We better trust the government. It’s better than the fear effect. I am sure the matter is under control,” he said.