Kenya steps up surveillance after confirming first mpox case

Kenya’s Ministry of Health on Saturday said it has ramped up its surveillance measures across the country, after confirming its first mpox case in the country early this week.

The Ministry of Health said no new mpox cases have been reported in Kenya, but is closely monitoring the confirmed case, involving a long-distance truck driver, who travelled from Kampala, the Ugandan capital, to the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa, then to Rwanda through Taita Taveta in southeast Kenya and Tanzania.

Mary Muthoni, principal secretary in the Ministry of Health, said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that the truck driver has now returned to Kenya, prompting an extensive contact tracing effort.

The ministry is tracing all close contacts of the truck driver along his travel itinerary within the country, to identify any possible new cases, and prevent further transmission.

Muthoni said the ministry is also monitoring the evolution of outbreaks in neighbouring countries, to assess the risks of regional transmissions, and adjust response measures accordingly.

The ministry has also released emergency hotline numbers for the public, to report suspected cases and seek further information on the outbreak.

Muthoni said the ministry has deployed a rapid response team, to support affected counties with detailed investigations and necessary interventions.

She said public health emergency operation centers have been activated across the country, to manage and coordinate the response to the mpox case.

“Counties are advised to sensitize the public on the outbreak, necessary preventive measures, and steps to take if they contract the disease. Key preventive measures include frequent hand washing with soap and water or hand sanitiser, seeking early treatment, and avoiding close contact with sick persons,” Muthoni said.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is endemic to forested areas of East, Central, and West Africa, the ministry said, adding that since May 2022, a multi-country outbreak has been ongoing globally, with peak cases in August 2022 and June-November 2023.