NAIROBI, Kenya Ocrt 8 – The World Health Organization has advised Kenya against closing its borders or imposing blanket travel and trade restrictions following confirmation of the country’s first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said such measures would be less effective than screening travellers, tracing contacts and strengthening other public health interventions.“WHO advises against blanket travel or trade restrictions, which are less effective than screening, contact tracing and other measures,” Tedros said during a media briefing on Wednesday.He said countries should instead focus on measures that can quickly identify and contain potential infections.“Transparency should be rewarded, not punished,” Tedros added.Tedros disclosed that he had spoken to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday to discuss the case and Kenya’s preparedness to respond to an Ebola infection.“Yesterday, I spoke to the Cabinet Secretary to discuss the case and the measures that Kenya had taken to prepare for an event like this,” he said.The WHO chief commended the Kenyan government for its response and for notifying the global health agency of the case under the International Health Regulations.Kenya reported the case on Tuesday after a Kenyan citizen who had fallen ill in the Democratic Republic of Congo travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi.The patient was taken to hospital immediately after arrival, isolated and later confirmed to have Bundibugyo virus disease. He died on Monday while receiving treatment.Kenyan authorities are now monitoring 55 contacts, including passengers and crew members who travelled on the same flight from Kampala to Nairobi.The case has raised concerns about the possibility of further transmission, given the patient’s journey through several countries before his arrival in Kenya.However, WHO said the immediate priority should be surveillance, contact tracing and rapid identification of any additional infections rather than restricting movement across borders.Kenya had been on heightened alert even before the case was detected, following outbreaks of Bundibugyo Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.Tedros’ remarks came as WHO continued to monitor the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, where thousands of confirmed cases and deaths have been recorded.WHO said the Kenyan government had taken steps to strengthen its preparedness, including surveillance and response measures aimed at detecting and containing imported cases.The agency said Kenya’s timely reporting of the case and the immediate isolation of the patient demonstrated the importance of preparedness and rapid response.The WHO position also comes against the backdrop of growing concern among countries over cross-border transmission of Ebola, particularly given the movement of people between the DRC, Uganda and Kenya.Tedros said effective public health measures should be prioritised over restrictions that could disrupt trade and movement without necessarily stopping transmission.The WHO advice means Kenya is expected to maintain enhanced screening and surveillance at points of entry while continuing contact tracing and monitoring of people who may have been exposed to the virus.The agency is supporting the Ministry of Health with technical assistance as authorities work to establish whether the imported case has resulted in any secondary infections.The WHO has similarly advised against blanket restrictions affecting Kenya, Uganda and the DRC based on the information currently available.The organisation says targeted public health measures remain the more appropriate response as authorities work to contain the outbreak.