Four suspected Ebola patients in Kenya test negative

The Kenyan government Monday dismissed fears of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in the country, saying that four patients admitted to hospital with Ebola-like symptoms have tested negative.

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia dismissed claims that one of the four patients tested positive for Ebola at Kenyatta National Hospital, Xinhua reported.

"I wish to assure Kenyans that the Ebola fever is not in Kenya. All the four patients who were admitted at the Kenyatta National Hospital with Ebola-like symptoms have tested negative," Macharia told journalists.

He said a second test confirmed the earlier results that the four patients tested negative.

The government will suspend the entry of passengers travelling from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone from Wednesday as a measure to deal with the Ebola crisis.

National carrier Kenya Airways will also suspend its commercial flight operations to the Ebola-hit region temporarily with effect from Wednesday.

The World Health Organisation declared the epidemic an international health emergency appealing for global aid.

Ebola, which spreads through the mucus and other body fluids or secretions such as stool, urine, saliva and semen of infected people, is believed to be very difficult to control.

It has killed more than 1,000 people in West African countries since early this year.