Kenya’s first reported Ebola patient buried under tight security as officials disinfect grave

Kenya’s first reported Ebola patient has been buried at Nairobi’s Langata Cemetery under tight security, with health officials taking extensive precautions before and after the burial.

The 40-year-old man was buried on Tuesday, October 6, according to the account supplied by People Daily Digital, only hours after the Ministry of Health publicly announced the case.

Footage seen by the publication showed a small group of mourners and Ministry of Health officials at the burial site at around 2pm. The burial reportedly took place in an isolated section of Langata Cemetery, on the Muslim side of the grounds near a water tank.

The heightened security reflected the public-health precautions surrounding the death.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had earlier warned that journalists would not be permitted to access the burial site, citing public-health safety protocols.

“If you are Kenyan media house, you know the burial sites, but you will not be allowed,” Duale said, adding that the restriction was “part of the public health safety protocols”.

Patient’s journey to Kenya

The deceased had reportedly travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo before entering Uganda and subsequently flying to Kenya.

According to the account, he travelled by bus from Buta in northwestern DRC to Beni before continuing by bus to Uganda.

On Saturday, October 3, he boarded a Jumbo Jet flight from Entebbe International Airport at 11:31am and arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi at 1:04pm.

He was subsequently taken to Nairobi Hospital, where he later died.

The red Toyota Fielder used to transport him from JKIA to the hospital was also used to take relatives to the cemetery for the burial.

Extensive precautions at cemetery

Health officials reportedly cleaned and disinfected the body before placing it in several layers of protective material and transporting it to the grave.

After the burial, a health worker wearing a full hazmat suit was seen disinfecting the grave and surrounding area.

Security personnel remained in the vicinity as the operation continued.

The same red Toyota Fielder was then thoroughly disinfected, with the official spraying the apparent disinfectant over both the vehicle’s exterior and interior.

Another Ministry of Health official, wearing protective clothing and gumboots, was seen near the water tank beside the grave and reportedly washed his footwear after the operation.

The official in the hazmat suit subsequently removed his protective equipment layer by layer before setting the material on fire.

Security remains tight

The burial was reportedly restricted to a small number of relatives and health officials.

Some people were also reportedly escorted away from the area after attempting to record the proceedings.

The unusually tight controls surrounding the funeral underline the precautions being taken by Kenyan authorities following the reported Ebola case.

The Ministry of Health has cited public-health safety protocols for restricting access to the burial site, while the reported disinfection of the grave, vehicle and protective equipment formed part of the measures undertaken after the burial.

The developments come as Kenyan health authorities respond to the country’s first reported Ebola case and assess potential exposure linked to the patient’s movements before and after his arrival in Kenya.

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