Kenya confirms fifth Mpox case

The Ministry of Health has confirmed the country's fifth case of Mpox.

In a statement on Friday, September 6, Health Cabinet Secretary Debra Barasa announced that the fifth case, confirmed on Wednesday, involves a patient with no recent travel history.

The patient (a woman) is the spouse of the fourth confirmed case, reported last week.

"The fifth case involves a 29-year-old woman from Mombasa, a resident of the VOK area near Tumaini Academy. She is the spouse of the fourth confirmed case, who is currently admitted in Nakuru. The patient was seen at Coast General Hospital on August 28 and is now in isolation at Utange Hospital's Mpox Isolation Centre," Barasa said.

The woman's spouse had recently traveled to Rwanda, one of the countries reporting Mpox cases.

The Health Ministry also provided updates on contact tracing, with 33 individuals currently under observation.

Of the five confirmed cases, two have fully recovered, while three remain in isolation and are responding well to treatment.

So far, 124 samples have been tested for Mpox, with 110 testing negative, nine still under analysis, and five confirmed positives.

In addition, 687,233 travelers have been screened at 26 ports of entry across the country, as the Ministry ramps up surveillance efforts to control the spread of the disease.