KENYA’S health minister has ordered the suspension of work to build an Ebola quarantine centre for the United States, the day after he was held in contempt by a court that had halted the project.

Trump administration officials had said that Washington was planning to send US citizens who are exposed to Ebola while abroad to a new facility in Kenya, instead of flying them home.

In May, the high court ordered the construction of the centre to be halted pending settlement of the case filed by the Law Society of Kenya and constitutional watchdog the Katiba Institute, which argued that Kenya’s fragile health system was unable to handle a potential Ebola outbreak.

Construction continued despite the order and locals held a series of protests in which three people died.

Health Minister Aden Duale was found in contempt of court on Monday and was ordered to attend a sentencing hearing on Tuesday. 

At the hearing, he apologised and said it was never his intention to “disregard, undermine or act in defiance of the orders of the court.”

The court accepted his apology and took no further action against the minister.

Mr Duale defended the quarantine centre, saying concern that it “could serve as a vehicle for Ebola importation into surrounding communities is scientifically unfounded.”