Monkey Pox Disease First Case Confirmed in Kenya at Border Point

Monkey pox Disease First Case Confirmed in Kenya at Border Point.

Kenya has confirmed its first case of Monkey pox at the Taita-Taveta one-stop border point. The Ministry of Health urges the public to be cautious to prevent the spread of this virus. Mpox is a viral infection that usually causes mild illness but can sometimes be fatal. It presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, reported that an individual traveling from Uganda to Rwanda via Kenya tested positive for Monkey pox. “Monkey pox is endemic in the forested regions of East, Central, and West Africa. Since May 2022, there has been a global outbreak. This comes with peak cases in August 2022 and from June to November 2023,” Muthoni stated.

Muthoni says that health authorities consider even a single case of Monkey pox an outbreak. She pointed out the high risk of regional transmission due to significant population movement between Kenya and other East African countries, especially through the Northern and Central transport corridors. She also mentioned that diagnosis is confirmed through laboratory tests on skin lesions, which can be conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory and other specialized labs in the country.

“Monkey pox usually resolves without complications within 2-4 weeks,” Muthoni explained. “Patients typically present with a skin rash or mucosal lesions, fever, headache, generalized aches, and swollen lymph nodes.”

She added that person-to-person transmission of Mpox can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or other lesions, such as those in the mouth or on the genitals, as well as through respiratory droplets. Muthoni advised Kenyans to “wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer. If you have symptoms, seek health advice and avoid close contact with persons with suspected or confirmed disease.”

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