Kenya court halts US-backed Ebola quarantine facility as America ups travel health notice for Uganda to Level 2

A Kenyan court on Thursday (May 28) temporarily blocked plans to establish a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility in the country after a legal challenge raised concerns about public health risks and government transparency. Nairobi High Court has issued the order preventing authorities from admitting any Ebola-exposed or infected individuals under the proposed arrangement until the matter is fully heard in court. The next hearing, as per Reuters, has been scheduled for June 2.

The decision comes just days before the 50-bed facility was expected to become operational at a Kenyan air force base. According to US officials, the centre was intended to house American citizens exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda who were not yet showing symptoms.

Why has Kenya blocked plans for Ebola quarantine facility?

The proposal for the quarantine facility had sparked intense debate in Kenya, with critics arguing that the government approved the arrangement without sufficient public consultation.

Judge Patricia Nyaundi's order followed a petition filed by the Katiba Institute, a Kenyan legal advocacy organisation. The group argued that the agreement raises serious constitutional questions involving public health, the right to life, parliamentary oversight and public participation.

Kenya's main medical union has also demanded the full terms of the agreement be made public, warning that it could consider industrial action if details are not disclosed.

The US State Department on Thursday said it would pledge $13.5 million towards Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts, but the quarantine plan now remains in limbo pending the court's final decision. The controversy comes as fears grow over a worsening Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.

US adamant Ebola patients won't be allowed on American soil as outbreak worsens

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1,000 suspected and confirmed cases have been reported since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, with at least 246 deaths recorded. Health experts have warned that the true toll could be significantly higher due to delayed detection and difficulties tracking infections in conflict-hit regions of eastern DRC.

In the United States, President Donald Trump's administration has maintained that Ebola patients will not be allowed onto US soil. This is in sharp contrast to the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak when infected Americans were treated in the country.

US raises Ebola travel advisory to level 2

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised its Ebola travel advisory for Uganda from Level 1 to Level 2, urging travellers to take enhanced precautions. Uganda has already closed its border with the DRC and imposed restrictions on mass gatherings in Kampala and districts near the frontier.