Kenya confirms second Ebola case as relative of country's first victim

Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola, 10 days after a businessman died of the virus after he had travelled to the East African nation from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Key points

• The 40-year-old Kenyan man who died on 5 October was diagnosed with Ebola shortly after being admitted to hospital in the capital, Nairobi.
• More than 4, 000 individuals have died from Ebola in DR Congo this year, in what is the second most deadly known outbreak to date.
• Of these, 108 were in quarantine in Kenya and tracing of the remaining 15 continued, it remarked.
• The incubation period for Ebola ranges from two to 21 days, meaning those exposed to the virus may not become ill for a number of weeks.
• The Ebola virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit.

For context, the new patient, a 39-year-old man, is a close relative of the first case and was already in quarantine when he fell ill on Tuesday, Kenya's health ministry remarked.

Notably, the incubation period for Ebola ranges from two to 21 days, meaning those exposed to the virus may not become ill for a number of weeks.

As it called on the public to "stay calm but vigilant", detecting his illness early had improved his chances of recovery and limited the chance of him passing the virus on to others, the ministry remarked.

"Both cases are linked, and there is no evidence of spread in the wider community, " the ministry continued. Questions remain over Ebola patient who travelled throughout three nations undetected.

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Kenyan man who died on 5 October was diagnosed with Ebola shortly after being admitted to hospital in the capital, Nairobi.

Meanwhile, a relative had taken him there shortly after picking him up at the airport. He had travelled from DR Congo, through Uganda to Kenya without his illness being detected.

Since his death, authorities had determined that he had been in contact with 128 residents – and since Tuesday 113 of them had been discovered, the health ministry remarked.

Meanwhile, the Ebola virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit.

In practice, the current outbreak in DR Congo. It began in May, has been caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which is relatively rare, with no approved vaccine or treatment – though trials are under way. More from the BBC on the Ebola outbreak.

'I buried my parents one day after the other' – Ebola mourners learn how to grieve safely.

Recovery of Ebola patients offers rare moments of joy at epicentre of outbreak.

'They remarked it isn't real': Ebola rumours fuel attacks on health workers.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

For now, kenya confirms second Ebola case as relative of country' s first victim remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.