Latest Ebola News: Suspected Ebola patient tests negative in Kenya

Kenya's health officials confirmed Saturday a man who had been put in isolation with fever had tested negative for the deadly disease Ebola. Nicholas Muraguri, director of medical services in the mini

By: Editorial Team | | Updated: August 27, 2014 1:10 pm

Kenya’s health officials confirmed Saturday a man who had been put in isolation with fever had tested negative for the deadly disease Ebola. Nicholas Muraguri, director of medical services in the ministry of health, told Xinhua over phone that the passenger from Uganda, who had been isolated earlier at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Kenya, tested negative after intensive screening.

The passenger was the first person to be tested in Kenya in the wake of the Ebola outbreak. The disease has sent panic across Africa after its outbreak in West Africa region. Over 900 people have been died in the region due to this deadly disease. Muraguri said screening points have been set up at all ports of entry into Kenya.

What is it?

The Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe condition caused by a virus from the Filoviridae family. Known to be a condition that is transmitted from animals to humans, this virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal.

What are the symptoms?

The incubation period (or the time between when the actual infection takes place to the time when a person sees symptoms of this condition) for this disease is about one week. After this period a person will commonly see the signs that are considered as ‘early symptoms’. According to Dr Ratan, the early symptoms include fever, rashes, headache, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Apart from that a person may also experience symptoms like pain in the lower back, arthritis like pain all over the body, diarrhea and a sore throat.

Once the condition has progressed a person may notice symptoms like:

Bleeding from the mouth, ears, nose and ears.
Increased sensitivity to pain on the skin,
Genital swelling
Conjunctivitis
Rashes all over the body,
And reddening of the roof of the mouth.

How is it diagnosed?

Usually a doctor will be able to diagnose the condition with the symptoms alone, but in order to confirm the diagnosis he/she may prescribe tests like CBC (Complete Blood Count), coagulation studies (a test to check for the amount of time a person’s blood needs to clot), viral antigen testing (a test to check for the presence of the viral antigen) and a liver function test. Read more about Ebola virus — causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

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Published : August 10, 2014 4:42 pm | Updated:August 27, 2014 1:10 pm

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