Kenya will begin releasing the first people placed in quarantine after its first Ebola case was confirmed, starting on Sunday, October 25, Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth said on Wednesday — a milestone in the country's response to the Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease, People Daily reported.

"Our first cases who have been in quarantine will begin leaving the quarantine facilities, I think on Sunday," Amoth said during an engagement with health partners on Wednesday, according to People Daily. The Eastleigh Voice, reporting the same announcement at an inter-governmental briefing, said those released will have completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period, with the discharge process led by the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI).

Amoth said there was no evidence of community transmission, with infections so far concentrated around the initial patient and people linked to that case. "So far, the cases are clustered around the index case. No evidence of community transmission," he said, according to People Daily. He cautioned that the response was not finished: "We are not out of the woods, but we want to assure you to remain calm, remain vigilant. Don't panic. There's no need for panic."

Kenya confirmed its first case on October 6 and has since recorded nine confirmed cases, Radio Generation reported, adding that the eight patients still receiving treatment were stable and responding well to care, according to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Wednesday. Contact tracing had traced 134 of the 135 people identified as contacts of confirmed cases and placed them under quarantine by October 20, Radio Generation said.