Ministry of Health says 14 patients have recovered from the 18 cases reported in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kajiado, Bungoma, Taita Taveta, Busia, Makueni, Kericho, Kilifi, and Uasin Gishu
The Ministry of Health has reported one more Mpox case in Nakuru County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18 since the first case was reported in Kenya on July 31, 2024.
The 18 cases are spread across several counties, including four in Nakuru, two in Nairobi, two in Mombasa, two in Kajiado, two in Bungoma, and one case in Taita Taveta, Busia, Makueni, Kericho, Kilifi, and Uasin Gishu.
According to a situation report by the Ministry of Health on November 20, 2024, one person has died, three are admitted, and 14 have recovered. Also, out of the 296 samples received, 19 were negative, and six are still under investigation.
This comes at a time when the government is heightening surveillance on all points of entry and also training more than 1500 healthcare workers on case detection, management, prevention, and control of Mpox.
Further, the Ministry of Health has had Mpox articles, press releases, and media talks to sensitize members of the public on the detection, control and prevention of Mpox where approximately 561,026 people have been sensitized on Mpox, including travellers, truckers, and points of entry communities.
According to the ministry, there is a low public risk perception of Mpox in the country.
Some sensitization forums have been held in Turkana County, targeting refugee settlement community leaders and religious leaders where 46 leaders were reached.
Another challenge that the government has identified in the control and management of Mpox is the unavailability of the Mpox vaccine in the country, as well as isolation facilities and resources for response at the points of entry.
Therefore, the government plans to engage the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC to access global Mpox vaccine and other therapeutic stockpiles.
According to WHO, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are some of the countries in Africa that have received the Mpox vaccine.
Further, counties have been asked to identify and prepare isolation centres for case management as the government continues to mobilize more resources to support the Mpox response plan.
When a person is confirmed positive, they get symptomatic management, mental health and psychosocial support including their contacts and their families.
A person infected with Mpox may have symptoms such as a skin rash, fever, sore throat, headache, body aches, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
According to the Ministry of Health, suspected sample testing is being done at the National Public Health Laboratory, KEMRI, Walter Reed and CDC laboratories. Genome Sequencing for 13 confirmed cases has been completed indicating Clade IB virus.
According to the World Health Organization, there are two distinct clades of the virus: Clade I with subclades IA and IB, and Clade II with subclades IIA and IIB. The strain reported in 2022-2023 was the Clade IIb strain.
