Two dead people in Kenya refused to establish a quarantine for Americans infected with Ebola news

Two people were killed in central Kenya during protests that erupted against US plans to establish a quarantine facility for American Ebola patients, in a move that the protesters considered an attempt to transfer an extremely dangerous health burden to the country.

Protest organizer Patrick Wahome, along with a security source, said that the two dead were killed yesterday, Monday, in the town of Nanyuki, after police opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators gathered near an air base proposed to host the facility.

Wahome added that the two victims died from gunshot wounds, while the security source did not clarify the circumstances of the death, while police spokesman Michael Muchiri denied knowledge of the deaths.

Public anger

Public anger erupted against the backdrop of a plan to establish an isolation unit with a capacity of 50 beds inside Laikipia Air Base, to receive Americans suspected of being exposed to the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Uganda.

In a judicial development, the Supreme Court of Kenya issued a decision to extend the suspension of the project for an additional 3 weeks, after it had temporarily suspended it last week in response to a lawsuit filed by a human rights body.

Judge Patricia Nyawandi ruled to prevent the government from taking any steps to establish or operate the facility in Nanyuki until the case is decided, setting June 23 as the date of the next hearing.

Despite the judicial decision, diplomatic sources and an American official reported that American military aircraft continued during the past days to transport employees and equipment to the site, an indication of continuing logistical preparations.

According to a previous report, Washington was planning to open the facility, which will be managed by American medical teams, last Friday, the same day the judicial suspension decision was issued.

On the other hand, the Kenyan government did not officially announce the details of the agreement, only talking about discussions with the American side to enhance preparedness to combat Ebola, while Washington pledged to provide $13.5 million to support the Kenyan health sector without publicly delving into quarantine arrangements.

These developments come at a time when the Democratic Republic of the Congo is witnessing an outbreak of the “Bundebugyo” strain of the Ebola virus, which was announced on May 15, and has so far resulted in more than a thousand suspected cases and about 220 deaths, which reinforces fears of broader regional repercussions.