Kenya has reported one new case of Mpox, bringing the total confirmed cases to nine.
Health CS Deborah Barasa announced that the nine cases were identified among 227 samples tested by the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), with 211 tests returning negative and seven still pending.
The first Mpox case in Kenya was confirmed on July 24, 2024, involving a male truck driver at the Taita-Taveta one-stop border point (OSBP).
The latest case is a 37-year-old male truck driver who recently traveled to Rwanda and Uganda, detected by surveillance teams in Nakuru County.
CS Barasa noted that the nine confirmed cases are spread across eight counties: Nakuru (2), Taita Taveta (1), Busia (1), Nairobi (1), Mombasa (1), Makueni (1), Kajiado (1), and Bungoma (1).
She emphasized that there have been no reported deaths among the confirmed cases.
Surveillance efforts continue, with 68 contacts traced; 61 have been monitored for the recommended 21 days. The remaining seven contacts are being monitored by public health teams and Community Health Promoters (CHPs).
“Only one of the contacts tested positive for Mpox during the monitoring period,” CS Barasa said.
Screening of travelers at all Points of Entry (POEs) is ongoing, with 15,541 travelers screened in the last 24 hours, raising the total screened across 26 POEs to 1,128,976.
To help prevent the spread of Mpox, the ministry advises Kenyans to avoid close contact with infected individuals or those showing symptoms, refrain from touching items used by infected persons, and limit sexual partners to reduce exposure risk.
Kenyans are also encouraged to wash their hands regularly with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, avoid contact with wild animals, and refrain from consuming bushmeat.
“By staying informed and following recommended measures, we can collectively control this outbreak. Vigilance is crucial in protecting our communities from Mpox,” CS Barasa stated.
For suspected Mpox cases, the public can contact the ministry via emergency hotline numbers 719, 0729471414, or 0732353535.
