DUALE REJECTS CLAIMS SEVEN AMERICANS ARE QUARANTINED AT LAIKIPIA BASE

DUALE REJECTS CLAIMS SEVEN AMERICANS ARE QUARANTINED AT LAIKIPIA BASE

NAIROBI — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has dismissed reports that seven American humanitarian workers are being quarantined at the controversial U.S.-funded Ebola response facility at Laikipia Air Base, insisting that construction of the quarantine centre was halted following a court order and that the government is fully complying with judicial directives.

Speaking on Wednesday, July 22, during the reception of an emergency Ebola response consignment donated by the Government of India, Duale termed reports linking the American aid workers to the Laikipia facility as inaccurate, even as international agencies maintained that the workers were undergoing precautionary quarantine in Kenya.

The Health CS said the government had suspended construction of the Laikipia quarantine centre after legal proceedings challenging the project, adding that work continues only at the remaining 22 Ebola preparedness sites across the country.

“When I appeared before court, I committed that I would respect the rule of law. We have stopped building the quarantine centre in Laikipia. We are only building the other 22 sites. You can go there and see and come and tell me,” Duale said.

The Cabinet Secretary also defended the government’s decision to withhold the locations of Ebola isolation and quarantine facilities, arguing that public disclosure could discourage Kenyans from seeking treatment at hospitals designated for emergency disease response.

“We will not disclose where our isolation and quarantine centres are located. If I say, for instance, this hospital is a quarantine centre, even Kenyans will not go to that hospital,” he stated.

The remarks come amid heightened public attention following reports that seven American humanitarian workers who had participated in Ebola response operations in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had been transferred to Kenya for a mandatory 21-day quarantine.

According to earlier reports, the aid workers are members of the Disaster Assistance Response Team operated by the Christian humanitarian organisation Samaritan’s Purse. They were reportedly placed under observation despite showing no symptoms of Ebola infection.

Samaritan’s Purse Chief Executive Officer Franklin Graham confirmed that the seven workers were undergoing quarantine, emphasising that the measure was purely preventive.

“Samaritan’s Purse has seven American Disaster Assistance Response Team staff members there. None of them has any symptoms, but they are being quarantined by the Kenyan government for 21 days,” Graham told Reuters.

A United States State Department official also confirmed that the humanitarian workers had voluntarily relocated to the Kenyan facility after completing assignments in Ebola-affected areas of the DRC.

According to the official, the Kenyan government authorised their admission as part of international public health protocols, while clinicians from the U.S. Public Health Service continue monitoring their condition throughout the quarantine period.

The State Department further clarified that none of the seven aid workers had tested positive for Ebola and that the quarantine was being undertaken solely as a precaution because of their recent exposure to outbreak zones.

Ebola remains one of the world’s most dangerous viral diseases, with outbreaks periodically reported in parts of Central and East Africa. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and has a high fatality rate if not detected and managed early. Public health authorities often require individuals exposed to confirmed outbreak areas to undergo observation for up to 21 days—the maximum incubation period for the virus.

Kenya has in recent months strengthened surveillance and preparedness measures due to the continued Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, with health officials increasing screening at border points, airports and designated health facilities.

Addressing concerns over the reported quarantine of the American aid workers, Duale questioned why public attention had focused primarily on foreign nationals, noting that Kenyan citizens and government officials had also undergone similar precautionary isolation measures.

“I do not know why you are only asking about the Americans. We have quarantined many people, including the staff of the President, for 21 days,” he said.

The Health Ministry has maintained that Kenya remains free of confirmed Ebola cases but continues to implement preventive measures in line with international health regulations and recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO).

As authorities intensify preparedness efforts, the debate surrounding the Laikipia facility has highlighted the delicate balance between protecting public health, complying with court orders and maintaining public confidence in the country’s emergency response systems. Government officials continue to urge the public to rely on verified information as Kenya remains on high alert against the potential cross-border spread of Ebola.

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DUALE REJECTS CLAIMS SEVEN AMERICANS ARE QUARANTINED AT LAIKIPIA BASE