- Mpox has now been confirmed in Taita Taveta, Busia, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Makueni and Kajiado.
- “No deaths have been reported among the confirmed cases.”
Image: FILE
Two more cases of Mpox have been confirmed in the country in the last 24 hours, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has announced.
The CS said the cases were confirmed in Makueni and Kajiado counties, bringing the total number to seven.
Mpox has now been confirmed in Taita Taveta, Busia, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Makueni, and Kajiado.
“No deaths have been reported among the confirmed cases,” Barasa said in a statement to newsrooms.
She said 61 contacts for the first five cases were identified, listed, traced, and monitored and completed the recommended 21-day follow-up period.
“Only one of the contacts tested positive for Mpox during the follow-up period. Contact tracing for the two newly confirmed cases is currently ongoing in the affected counties,” she said.
Barasa further noted that in the last 24 hours, 16,033 travellers have been screened at Points of Entry (POEs), bringing to a cumulative total of 1,002,621.
“The National Public Health Laboratory has tested 190 samples from 28 counties, with seven testing positive, 178 negative, and five samples currently being tested,” she said.
The CS expressed concern with the misinformation and disinformation circulating on social media platforms on Mpox, particularly regarding vaccination.
“The public is strongly advised to disregard any inaccurate or misleading information that could undermine public health efforts and lead to unnecessary fear, confusion, and panic,” she urged.
Barasa urged Kenyans to prevent the spread of potentially harmful information, seek accurate information from credible sources, keep vigilant, and question the validity of the content they encounter online.
“The ministry will continue to provide regular updates as more information becomes available, to ensure the public is well-informed,” she pledged.
She said the ministry will continue to collaborate with county governments and partners to strengthen efforts to contain the Mpox outbreak and control the further spread of cases, including through enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, and diagnostic testing, and public awareness campaigns to promote public safety.