Kenya Mpox case confirmed to be 'deadliest' strain found in Congo

The Mpox reported in Kenya was caused by a deadly strain that was previously only seen in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to test results.

This was confirmed by the World Health Organization, which noted this strain, the deadliest seen so far, has now spread to multiple African countries.

The Kenyan case was reported on July 29, in a truck driver who traveled to Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, the Ministry of Health said.

WHO boss Dr Tedros Adhanom on Sunday said partners are helping affected governments, including Kenya, to scale up the response to interrupt disease transmission.

“I am considering convening an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee to advise me on whether the outbreak of Mpox should be declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC),” he said.

The declaration is an alarm bell to help mobilise international coordination rapidly, and streamline funding and development of vaccines, drugs and diagnostics.

It also prevents unjustifiable travel and trade restrictions.

The current outbreak is caused by Clade I variant, which can cause more severe illness, and has killed about three per cent of those infected in DR Congo.

The US magazine ‘Science’ also reported that sequences of the virus isolated from the Mpox patients in Uganda and Kenya showed they are linked to clade 1 virus.

This was confirmed by researchers who posted the sequences in the GISAID database, the publication said.

This variant is spread through sexual contact as well as non-sexual contact like touch. This makes it more dangerous and easier to spread.

In Nairobi, the Ministry of Health said sexual minorities in Kenya are at a higher risk of Mpox infection, compared to the general population.

Director general for health Patrick Amoth said the risk profile has been categorised by the WHO.

“The World Health Organization has graded the global Mpox risk for the general population in countries with historical Mpox transmission and their neighbours as moderate, for gay men, bisexual men, other men who have sex with men, trans and gender diverse people, and sex workers also as moderate,” he said in an advisory to the county directors for health.

“The risk in Kenya is therefore low for the general population, is moderate due to the regional risk and is high among travellers from Mpox-affected countries in the region,” he added.

The Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of Mpox in Kenya last week on Monday, in a truck driver who traveled from Kampala in Uganda to Mombasa, then to Rwanda through Taita Taveta and Tanzania.

He was detected at the Taita-Taveta one-stop border point. A single case of Mpox is considered an outbreak.

Amoth said the high population movement between Kenya and other East African countries through the Northern and Central transport corridors, is a risk for regional transmission since countries in the region are currently reporting cases.

Person-to-person transmission of Mpox can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or other lesions such as in the mouth or on the genitals. The disease can also be transmitted through respiratory droplets.

He said all suspected cases should be identified and reported.

“Samples from suspected cases should be sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for confirmation,” he said.

“Contact tracing and monitoring of contacts for 21 days from the last day of contact, including travel companions, sexual partners and healthcare workers.”

Mpox, which causes fevers and scabbing rashes, progressing to death in a minority among severe cases, is a visible and consequently easily stigmatised viral disease.

The disease is not new and was first identified in people in 1970 in DRC, where it is endemic.

The world largely ignored it and only began paying attention when it spread across Europe and America in 2022.

This was in an outbreak that was largely driven by sexual contact among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, a then-unreported method of transmission.