The government has screened more than 680,000 people for Mpox, Deputy Director General of Health Sultan Matendechero has revealed.
He said the screening is being conducted across all the 26 entry points into the country to limit imported cases of the disease.
“At the same time we have conducted 124 tests which 111 came out negative, five came out positive and nine are undergoing analysis. We will give out the results once we get them,” he said.
“We have also employed very advanced diagnostic tests,” he said adding that the first case of the disease to be confirmed in the country was of a severe category common in Central Africa.
Speaking to the media at Kenyatta National Hospital, Matendechero said the ministry has enhanced surveillance in partnership with all other stakeholders.
“Let us be on the lookout for the signs which include high fever, headache and muscle pain but the most classical sign will be a rash which will normally start from the face,” he explained.
He urged Kenyans to go to the nearest health facilities to report suspected cases.
“We have also given out numbers where such reports can be made so that we can dispatch teams to the ground,” he added.
The ministry of Health on Friday confirmed a fifth case of Mpox in the country as it intensified surveillance to help curb the spread of the highly infectious viral disease.
Health CS Deborah Barasa said the latest case was detected in the coastal city of Mombasa, a 29-year-old woman with no recent history of travel.
Barasa said the woman is the spouse of the fourth confirmed case, who is being treated at a health facility in Nakuru.
