- Three weeks ago, the county was on high alert after a suspected case of Mpox was reported
- The patient who arrived from Kiambu, exhibited Mpox symptoms
Image: CDC/ HANDOUT
Nyeri residents have been advised to seek medical attention if they exhibit symptoms similar to Mpox.
Health executive Joseph Kiragu said they are working closely with local administrators to sensitise the public on the infectious disease.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says Mpox symptoms are similar to flu and include pus-filled skin lesions.
Within one to three days of infection, a patient will develop a facial rash that spreads to other parts of the body including hands, feet, chest, face, mouth and genitals.
Kiragu allayed fears, saying measures are in place to address such incidents.
“We are on the lookout. We have alerted our public health officers and a team is in place leading surveillance in the county,” he said.
“The idea is (to inform suspected patients) to report to the nearest dispensary or health centre. We are conducting some tests locally but others have to go to Nairobi to the National Public Health Laboratory."
Three weeks ago, the county was on high alert after a suspected case of Mpox was reported.
The patient who arrived from Kiambu, exhibited Mpox symptoms.
But samples taken from the suspected patient later turned out negative.
Kiragu warned the public against lowering their guard in the wake of the disease which has been described as a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.
"Today (Tuesday), we might release another official circular on the disease since the first one was for internal consultation. We want to handle it (the health scare) slowly and at an advisory level to avoid unnecessary alarm.”
Yesterday, the government said it hopes to receive at least 2 million Mpox jabs from a Danish pharmaceutical company to immunise Kenyans against the disease which has infected 99,176 people and led to 208 fatalities globally since January 2022.
During yesterday’s press briefing, Health Director-General Patrick Amoth said Kenya will receive doses from Nordic company by December this year.
Amoth said the State will avail the doses to the most vulnerable groups akin to what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“At one point we shall bring back vaccines in the country. You heard when the Africa Center for Diseases Control and Prevention declared the effects, they said Africa requires 10 million doses of vaccine. We are assured by the Nordic manufacturer that by the end of the year, we will have about two million doses,” he said.
“But the vaccine will not be for everybody because of the scarcity in terms of availability so we will prioritise the populations.”
Mpox is a viral disease spread through contact with an infected person, contaminated personal items or surfaces or through sexual contact.
Those at risk of the disease may require hospitalisation or treatment with antivirals.
Groups at increased risk from the disease include infants and young children, pregnant women, the elderly and severely immunocompromised persons.
Confirmed cases should be instructed to isolate until their rashes heal completely.
Infected persons should remain in their own rooms and use designated household items which should not be shared with other household members to avoid spread of the disease.
Kenya has reported only one case of the disease, a person who travelled from Kampala in Uganda to Mombasa, then to Rwanda via Tanzania through Taita Taveta one-stop border point.