The Kenyan government has quarantined seven American aid workers from the US charity Samaritan's Purse at a new bio-isolation facility on a central air force base, amidst growing criticism and controversy. The aid workers had been stationed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help combat the ongoing Ebola outbreak, where they may have come into contact with the virus.
This marks the first time individuals have undergone quarantine at this specific facility, which has been plagued by public outcry and a court challenge within Kenya. Despite a court order last month to halt construction pending a final ruling, US officials and satellite imagery indicated that work on the site continued, sparking accusations of disregard for local laws. The Kenyan Health Minister had initially announced an immediate stoppage of construction after being found in contempt of court.
The new US travel restrictions require American citizens returning from the DRC to spend 21 days in a third country before re-entering the United States. The 50-bed bio-isolation unit, intended for asymptomatic Americans exposed to the virus in the DRC or Uganda, is being used to monitor the seven aid workers, who have not shown symptoms of Ebola.
Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan's Purse, confirmed that seven American Disaster Assistance Response Team staff members are at the facility, having moved there voluntarily for precautionary monitoring. A US State Department official corroborated this, stating that the group had "voluntarily relocated to Kenya for precautionary isolation" with Kenyan authorities' authorisation.
The aid workers, who arrived at the site earlier this week, are reportedly sleeping in army cots within tents and are being kept from travelling elsewhere within Kenya during their quarantine period. While some members were involved in direct patient care at Ebola treatment centres in Congo, others worked on support roles such as construction without direct contact with patients. One individual is believed to have had a potential high-risk exposure, with their health being closely monitored by Kenyan authorities.
The presence of the quarantined Americans and the bio-isolation facility has inflamed tensions among many Kenyans, who see it as an unwelcome burden on their country's healthcare system. Samaritan's Purse plays a significant role in the Ebola response in Congo, working alongside the World Health Organization.