One dead as Kenya Mpox cases hit 14

Kenya has reported its first Mpox-related death as the cases across the country hit 14.

The Ministry of Health on Thursday made the announcement saying the latest case had been recorded in Uasin Gishu County.

In a statement to newsrooms, the ministry said the 14 cases are distributed across Nakuru, Kajiado, Bungoma, Taita Taveta, Busia, Momabasa, Makueni, Kericho, Kilifi and Nairobi counties.

Health CS Debora Barasa said of the 14 confirmed cases, eight have fully recovered, while five are still undergoing treatment.

“The lone fatality occurred on October 11, 2024, involving a patient who had previously tested positive for Mpox and later recovered,” Barasa said in the statement.

She added, “Contact tracing remains a top priority for health officials. Out of 68 listed contacts, 61 have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up period. Three of these contacts have tested positive for Mpox.”

According to Barasa, the ministry has intensified screening efforts at Points of Entry (POEs), with 30,237 travellers screened in the last 24 hours alone. Since the outbreak began, a cumulative total of 1,362,657 travellers have been screened across 26 POEs nationwide.

“The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) continues to process samples efficiently. To date, 244 samples have been tested, resulting in 14 confirmed positive cases, 227 negative results, and three samples currently undergoing testing,” the CS said.

The Mpox situation update report number 57, dated October 14, 2024, shows that no new cases were confirmed in the 24 hours leading up to the report.

To combat stigma and promote infection prevention, risk communication and community engagement messages have been approved for dissemination.

The cumulative number of people sensitized about Mpox at POEs has reached 366,838. Plans are underway to deploy rapid response teams for comprehensive investigation and contact tracing.

The Ministry is actively managing confirmed cases symptomatically and has developed training materials to assist those affected. Mental health and psychosocial support are also being provided to individuals impacted by the outbreak.

“It is important to note that there are two main strains, or clades, of Mpox. Until 2022, neither was commonly reported outside of a handful of African countries,” read part of Barasa’s statement.

The Africa CDC reports that Clade 1 has been identified in Kenya, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Clade 2 has been reported in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Both Clade 1 and Clade 2 have been detected in Cameroon, while the specific clade in Gabon has not yet been identified.

The World Health Organisation declared an emergency for the more lethal Clade 1 due to two factors: the increasing spread of cases in Africa, including areas where it had never been detected before, and the emergence of a new subtype called 1b. Clade 1b has genetic and epidemiological characteristics that favour human-to-human transmission.

In August, the director general for health, Dr Patrick Amoth, reassured the public that healthcare facilities are fully prepared to diagnose and manage the disease.

He emphasized that there is no need for panic and stated, "To reduce stigma and prevent the spread of the disease, we shall continue to share important information through our official social media accounts, the press, and other public health forums countrywide."

Dr Amoth also confirmed that rapid response teams (RRTs) are in place to support affected counties with thorough investigations and appropriate response measures to any new cases.