Two dead in Kenya after protests against US planned Ebola quarantine zone – as court blocks construction | World News

Two people have died in Kenya during protests against a US-proposed quarantine facility for Ebola patients, according to the organiser.

It comes as the Kenyan High Court has blocked the opening of the Ebola treatment site – which would be at the Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki – for another three weeks.

Protest organiser Patrick Wahome told Reuters that two people were killed by gunshot wounds at the protests, after police opened fire.

A security source also told the news agency that two people had died, but did not specify their causes of death. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said he was not aware of the deaths.

Hundreds of demonstrators marched outside the military base to protest the plans by the US to set up the quarantine zone on Monday, chanting anti-Ebola slogans and calling for the centre to be scrapped.

That comes during an outbreak of Ebola in neighbouring Uganda and the nearby Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern.

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The protests started after the Kenyan government approved US plans to set up an area at the air base for American citizens exposed to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus – which has no approved treatment or vaccine.

A US official told the Associated Press on Monday that American citizens exposed to Ebola while abroad would not be sent back to the US, and the Trump administration has said it “cannot and will not allow” any cases to enter the country.

While a Kenyan court had already temporarily suspended the establishment of the facility and the arrival of any foreign patient last week, a US official and diplomatic sources told Reuters that American military aircraft had continued to ship in staff and equipment.

Another US official told the news agency the site was meant to receive Americans who have been exposed to the virus but are still asymptomatic – those with symptoms would be sent for care elsewhere.

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Quarantine site blocked for three weeks

On Tuesday, Kenyan High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi issued an order barring the Kenyan government from taking any steps to build or begin operations at the facility before the case is resolved. The next hearing is set for 23 June.

According to Kenyan news outlet NTV, the high court has also ordered the government to disclose details of the quarantine facility.

The case against the US plan was brought by the Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog, which argues Kenya has a fragile healthcare system and that, therefore, the country should not quarantine Ebola patients from elsewhere.

Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu also told journalists he was opposed to the quarantine centre as “this will expose our people to Ebola”, noting that many locals work inside the air base and could be exposed.

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Kenyan health minister Aden Duale said on Sunday that the quarantine centre was for “everyone” – not exclusively for American nationals – while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the Trump administration intends to commit $13.5m (£10m) toward Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts.

Kenyan President William Ruto also defended the facility as part of a partnership with Washington on Tuesday, again saying it would treat both foreign nationals and Kenyans.

“We are a responsible government,” he said. “We know what we are doing. People should relax. Politicians should avoid reckless, unnecessary talk that doesn’t mean anything.”

As of Tuesday, the WHO said that there had been 321 confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC, as well as 116 suspected cases. Six people have recovered, and 48 have died.

In Uganda, the WHO added that there had been nine confirmed cases, and one associated death. Later on Tuesday, the Ugandan health ministry confirmed six new cases of Ebola – totalling 15.

Kenya has not recorded any cases in the recent outbreak.