A year since outbreak, mpox disease claims five lives, cases hit 314
A total of 314 cases of mpox and five deaths have been reported across Kenya since the viral disease outbreak was announced in July 2024.
A total of 314 cases of mpox and five deaths have been reported across Kenya since the viral disease outbreak was announced in July 2024.
According to an update by the Ministry of Health, up to 33 people are admitted at various hospitals across Kenya due to the disease. Another 54 cases are under close monitoring in home-based care, the Ministry said on Friday.
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"The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the County Governments and other partners has stepped up surveillance activities across all counties and has deployed multi-disciplinary Rapid Response Teams to support capacity strengthening of healthcare workers, active case search, contact tracing, tracking, investigations, and symptomatic management of confirmed cases, including mental health," the ministry stated.
Ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale clarified that so far cases have been reported in 22 out of Kenya's 47 counties. For the past one year, Mombasa County leads with highest number of mpox cases at 146 closely followed by Busia county with 63 cases.
Notably, Busia County neighbours Uganda, a country which has been battling mpox outbreak as well.
"In the last 24 hours, four additional mpox cases have been confirmed in Mombasa County (3 cases) and Nairobi County, which has one case," Duale said.
Overall, healthcare authorities have recorded a total of 222 cases fully recovered, with five cases succumbing to the disease. Currently, the country's mpox case fatality rate stands at 1.6 percent.
Duale said multidisciplinary rapid response teams have been deployed nationwide to strengthen healthcare capacity, conduct active case searches, trace and monitor contacts, and manage confirmed cases.
"Over 4.7 million travellers have been screened at our airports and other points of entry, and suspected cases identified for further investigation," Duale added.
The ministry has called on the public to take several precautionary measures to prevent the spread of mpox. These include avoiding contact with infected persons, using personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks when caring for the sick, and refraining from sharing bedding and clothing with those who are infected.
"The public is further advised to disregard any misleading or false information that may hinder public health efforts or cause unnecessary fear and confusion," Duale said.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that is usually transmitted through contact with body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. The outstanding symptoms comprise fever, skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes on one’s body.
