Mpox cases rise to 38 after one more case is reported in Makueni
Ministry of Health has said a total of 255 contacts of the 38 cases have been identified, 246 having been monitored for the recommended 21-day period
One more case of Mpox has been reported in Makueni county bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 38.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health has said a total of 255 contacts of the 38 cases have been identified, 246 having been monitored for the recommended 21-day period. Nine contacts have tested positive for Mpox so far.
The others are still being monitored, with nine contacts, so far, testing positive for the disease.
The ministry also assured the public that over 3.2 million travelers have been screened at the airports and other points of entry and suspected cases identified for further investigations.
“Samples drawn from the suspected cases are tested at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and partner laboratories,” the statement said. It further added that 412 samples from suspected cases have undergone testing of which 38 tested positive and 374 samples have tested negative.
The statement assured that the Ministry of Health together with the government and its partners have made it a priority to step up surveillance activities in all the high risk counties or counties that are most likely to encounter the disease and farther its spread.
It said response teams have been deployed in order to lend a hand in the active case search, investigations, and symptomatic management of confirmed cases.
The team, which includes mental health and psychosocial provide support to the infected and affected persons. The ministry said its also working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure the disease does not spread in learning institutions.
The cases have been reported across various parts of the country, namely Nakuru with ten cases, Mombasa with eight, Busia with four cases, Nairobi, Kajiado, Bungoma, Taita Taveta, Kericho , Makueni and Kilifi with two cases each, while Kiambu and Uasin Gishu have one case each.
The Mpox virus spreads through close contact with an infected person, contact with contaminated objects such as clothing, bedding that has not been properly disinfected, direct contact with infected animals or their bodily fluids such as through a scratch or a bite and during pregnancy the virus can be passed from an infected mother to the newborn.
The symptoms of Mpox may appear within 6 to 13 days after exposure to the virus.
They include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, chills and swollen lymph nodes. Rashes may then appear on various parts of the body including hands, face, feet, chest and even genitals.
