Surveillance along Kenya-Tanzania border heightened – KBC

Surveillance along the Kenya-Tanzania border has been heightened just a day after an Ebola scare in the country.

The Isebania border crossing point was a beehive of activity as health experts screened and verified documents of those seeking to enter the country.

This comes as the government on Monday said results of samples taken from the person suspected to have contracted Ebola had tested negative.

Hundreds of those seeking to enter the country were subjected to a thorough screening test as health officials increased surveillance at the border points.

Dr Samuel Juma, across border disease surveillance coordinator, says travellers from Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Congo form the majority of foreigners who frequent the country for business.

He, however, says they have been no cases of persons allowed into the country exhibiting some of the known symptoms of Ebola.

However, locals fear that those who do not pass through the immigration offices may sneak into the county calling for heightened surveillance.

At least 362 travellers cross the border into the country on any given a day.

Truck drivers plying along the northern corridor towards the great lake region have also taken measures to reduce the spread of Ebola.

The drivers say they are observing some of the preventive measures such as refraining from shaking hands.

Truck drives at the Malaba Border were also subjected to screening.

On Sunday, News of a patient with Ebola-like symptoms at the Kericho County Referral Hospital was reported prompting the government to move in isolate the patient and those who took her to hospital for treatment.

According to results released by the government, the patient tested negative for Ebola.