Revealed: Regional Ebola Samples Are Sent to Kenya for Genome Testing

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]We have more than 100 labs in this country that now can do PCR.

[00:00:07]Yeah, PCR is the test for Ebola. It's polymerase chain reaction. It's basically testing the DNA.

[00:00:13]It's the highest form of the test that you can do for Ebola. 100.

[00:00:18]DRC that is four times the size of Kenya has only five.

[00:00:23]>> Yeah.

[00:00:24]>> PCR and the And I want to mention something beyond that. If you're looking at institutions such as KEMRI, KEMRI in Kisumu, KEMRI here in Nairobi, we are the ones who can now do genomics. So, beyond doing the PCR, we are the ones who are doing genomics. Means that we can tell that this is a Bundibugyo strain and this is not a Bundibugyo strain and this is a different strain. So, we we cannot Can I be honest?

[00:00:53]Even when we say we do not want to, you know, do these isolations and such, all these samples from East Africa are already being brought here. Why?

[00:01:04]Because we are the only ones with capacity. We are the only ones that the WHO can use to confirm that this is a Bundibugyo strain. There is no single lab in DRC that confirms that this is a Bundibugyo strain. It is KEMRI. So, all these samples are already coming here.

[00:01:19]So, basically we have proper protection and so if the If the person is Any person is diagnosed here, we've already tested enough for many years all this time that there have been outbreaks. All those samples have been coming to Kenya.

[00:01:35]>> Okay.

[00:01:36]>> Let me ask you whether Latif you're getting what I'm saying.

[00:01:38]>> I'm getting what you're saying.