The Ministry of Health has reported the fifth mpox case in the country in a 29-year-old woman from Mombasa who has no travel history to an affected country.
Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said her spouse was the fourth confirmed case and is currently isolated at the Utange Hospital’s mpox isolation center.
“To date, 124 samples have been summitted to our laboratories for mpox testing. Out of these, 110 samples have tested negative, 9 are under analysis and 5 are confirmed positive for mpox.”
Further, the Health CS has reassured that the country’s healthcare facilities are fully prepared to diagnose and treat mpox.
“There is no need to panic if you may have symptoms. Mpox is transmitted through direct contact with an infected person, contact with contaminated body fluids, clothing, utensils, or even contact with infected wild animals.”
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Last week, the fourth case was confirmed from a truck driver traveling from Mombasa to Rwanda.
Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said on Saturday that the patient fell ill on August 28 while passing through Gilgil’s Kikopey area and was admitted to Nakuru PGH Isolation Centre.
She said that the Gilgil Sub-County Rapid Response Team (RRT) immediately dispatched a team to assess the case.
“The most recently confirmed case of MPOX is a truck driver who was traveling from Mombasa en route to Rwanda. He felt unwell on 28th August 2024 while passing through Gilgil (Kikopey area) and was unable to continue his journey,” Muthoni said.
