Mpox: Fourth case confirmed in Kenya
Kisii and Kiambu Counties have reported they are investigating suspected cases of Mpox.
What you need to know:
- The driver felt unwell to a point that he was not able to continue with his journey.
- A total of 16,533 travellers had been screened at points of entry in the last 24 hours.
Kenya has confirmed its fourth Mpox case after a truck driver travelling from Mombasa to Rwanda tested positive for the disease, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni explained that the driver who felt unwell to a point that he was not able to continue with his journey was tested while passing through Gilgil (Kikopey area).
“The Gilgil Sub-County Rapid Response Team (RRT) was immediately dispatched to assess the case. The patient was evacuated to Nakuru PGH Isolation Centre where he is admitted in stable condition,” PS Muthoni said. The confirmed cases have been in Taita Taveta, Busia, and Nairobi counties, with two more having been tested on Saturday August 31, pending confirmation.
So far, Ms Muthoni said, the government was following up on 30 contacts the positive cases made with Kenyans in Busia, Mombasa, Nairobi, and Nakuru.
A total of 16,533 travellers had been screened at points of entry in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of those screened to 599, 380.
At the same time in Isiolo, there was panic after health officials said they had identified a suspected case of Mpox at Kulamwe market, and had traced customers of a barber who had shaved them in the last one week.
Isiolo Public Health Chief Officer Bisharo Hassan said they had dispatched a team to the rural market to collect samples and identify everyone the barber came into contact with after the suspected case was brought to their attention on the same day by Kulamawe area chief.
Ms Hassan further told Nation that the 27-year-old, who has been operating a barbershop at Kulamawe market, has not travelled out of his home area in the recent past.
Kulamawe is located about 79 kilometers from Isiolo town along the Isiolo-Mandera road which is currently being tarmacked.
“The patient is already in isolation as we try to establish those who were in contact with him. Despite the patient having not travelled, Kulamawe is a busy shopping centre and often receives visitors. All precautionary measures have been put in place as we await results,” said Ms Hassan, adding that the county government is preparing more isolation spaces in hospitals as contact tracing continues.
Deputy Director General at the Ministry of Health Dr Sultani Matendechero said that they await the patient’s test results.
“There’s an effective mechanism to conduct surveillance, detection, confirmation and contact tracing in all parts of the country. There are many suspected cases, so it is difficult for us to engage in giving details for suspected cases, let us focus on confirmed cases,” said Dr Matendechero.
Garbatulla Deputy County Commissioner Stephen Nyakundi disclosed that the suspected case was reported after the lesions on the barber’s skin became bigger despite treatment. Public health officials isolated him after as he continued taking medication
He added that local administration officers were assisting health workers in contact tracing as health experts handled the suspected case.
Meanwhile, Meru County health services chief officer Dr Joseph Wahome said major hospitals in the county have been notified to set aside isolation areas.
The announcement by the Principal Secretary on social media, however, raised questions on the protocols for making such announcements after it was previously indicated the role would be left to Director General of Health Dr Patrick Amoth, who issues technical briefs on behalf of the ministry.
Dr Amoth did not immediately respond to our enquiries.
