NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 6 – Jambojet has said it is working with the Ministry of Health and Port Health Services to trace passengers and crew who travelled on flight JM8523 from Entebbe to Nairobi, after Kenya confirmed its first imported Ebola case.
The airline said the passenger, who travelled on Saturday was aboard its Entebbe-Nairobi flight and is now at the centre of a public health contact-tracing exercise following confirmation of the Ebola infection by the Ministry of Health.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jambojet said it was cooperating with health authorities to identify and manage other passengers and crew who may have come into contact with the infected traveller.
“Jambojet is aware of reports concerning a guest who travelled on Saturday 3rd October on flight JM 8523 from Entebbe to Nairobi,” the airline said.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Health, Port Health Services and other relevant authorities to support the ongoing public health response, including the identification and management of the other guests and crew who may have been in contact with the individual.”
The airline said the safety of its passengers, crew and staff remained its priority as health officials undertake the contact-tracing exercise.
Jambojet did not disclose the identity of the passenger or provide details on the number of people being traced, saying it would continue to issue information as it becomes available through official channels.
The development came hours after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed Kenya’s first imported case of Ebola.
Duale said the patient was a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for seven years and had been unwell for about a month before travelling to Kenya.
The patient travelled by road from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, before boarding Jambojet flight JM8523 to Nairobi.
The flight arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday at about 1.10pm.
According to the Health Ministry, the passenger underwent routine screening at the Port Health facility and subsequently cleared immigration before being picked up by a relative and a friend.
He was driven directly from the airport to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated after presenting with symptoms consistent with Ebola.
The patient was later transferred to the hospital’s East Wing Isolation Facility, where he received supportive treatment.
He died on Monday night, prompting the Ministry to intensify efforts to identify people who may have been exposed to him during his journey and subsequent interactions.
The Ministry has already identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, who are being followed up. It is also tracing passengers and crew members who were aboard the Jambojet flight.
Reports from the Ministry indicate that 23 passengers and four crew members are being sought as part of the contact-tracing exercise.
The confirmation has raised concern over possible transmission following the passenger’s arrival in Nairobi, although health authorities have stressed the importance of relying on official information and following public health guidance.
The case involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has been circulating in the DRC. Kenya had previously stepped up surveillance at airports and land border points following the outbreak in the region.
The Ministry had activated its national Ebola incident management system earlier in the year and intensified screening of travellers following outbreaks reported in neighbouring Uganda and the DRC. More than 71,000 travellers had been screened by June as part of the country’s preparedness measures.
The current outbreak in the DRC has become a major regional public health concern, with the disease spreading across borders and Uganda having previously reported cases before being declared Ebola-free in August.
Jambojet urged passengers and the public not to rely on unverified reports concerning the incident.
The airline said official updates would be communicated through its verified social media platforms and the relevant health authorities as the response continues.
The Ministry is also preparing for the safe and dignified burial of the deceased in accordance with Ebola infection prevention and control protocols.
