A Kenyan court has suspended plans by the United States to open an Ebola quarantine facility for American citizens in the country.
The 50-bed isolation centre was due to begin operations on Friday and would have been staffed by US medics. The location has not been made public. The facility was intended to treat US citizens believed to have been exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
High Court judge Patricia Nyaundi barred the government and its agencies from establishing or facilitating any Ebola-related quarantine or treatment centre linked to the US or any foreign government until the case is heard. She also barred the admission into Kenya of anyone exposed to or infected with Ebola under the proposed arrangement.
The petition was filed by rights group Katiba Institute, which argued that the plan posed grave risks to public health and lacked adequate safeguards.
The decision comes amid public concern and criticism over reports that Ebola-exposed individuals could be sent to Kenya. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union accused the government of holding backdoor negotiations and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to disclose details of the plan.
President William Ruto said Kenya would continue to act transparently and responsibly on public health threats, but did not directly address the US facility.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Ruto on Thursday and said Washington would provide $13.5 million to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts. The current outbreak in eastern DR Congo has caused at least 220 deaths and more than 900 infections, with seven cases and one death reported in Uganda. Kenya has not recorded any cases.
