Rallies erupt in Kenyan town against establishment of US-funded Ebola quarantine facility

Hundreds of Kenyan youths wage fierce protests against plans for a quarantine and treatment centre in central Kenya intended to house American citizens exposed to Ebola, instead of flying them home.

This as the Democratic Republic of the Congo reports close to 300 confirmed cases, including 42 deaths, of the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain of Ebola which has no approved treatment or vaccine.

Last week, the High Court of Kenya ordered the government to temporarily suspend the plan of setting up the quarantine facility at an air force base in the town of Nanyuki in Laikipia County, citing public health risks.

Kenya's health minister comes to the defence of the move, saying it's part of a wider push to strengthen emergency response systems.

Military jets are seen flying in and out of Nanyuki recently in what appears to be the ongoing US preparations for the proposed 50-bed unit despite the court ruling.

Chaos rocked the streets on Monday as hundreds of residents and local leaders held up signs and chanted slogans outside the air base in protests against what they describe as "inconsiderate deal."

Many argue their health system will be too fragile to handle the arrival of foreign patients.

Youth leader Benson Munene says: "They said this is an institution or it's a quarantine facility for only the Americans. So Americans are selfish to the core and we have to tell Americans to get off our noses' business, get off our skin."

Activist Joyce Wangui says: "We are saddened today, such a bad morning. Knowing that we have in the Laikipia airbase compound, we have a primary school with little kids over there."

Kenyan President William Ruto told reporters later in the day the quarantine centre would serve Kenyans as well as foreign partners, including Americans, if needed.

Dismissing criticism of the plan, Ruto noted Kenya would provide isolation, surveillance and treatment facilities in 23 counties, emphasising they have a duty to prepare for any potential Ebola infections, although Kenya has not recorded cases so far.

According to a statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US government will commit 13.5 million US dollars towards Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts.

Meanwhile, Beijing vows to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian says 45 Chinese medical teams with a total of over 900 members are sent to 44 African countries.

He adds Beijing is engaged in communication with the African Union on Ebola prevention and control and calls on concrete measures from the international community to help the DR Congo and other African nations contain the outbreak at an early date.