Kenya’s Ministry of Health has issued a public alert following a recent spike in mpox cases, reporting three new infections after a month-long lull, bringing the country’s total to 17 confirmed cases.
Deborah Barasa, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, confirmed the cases in a Friday statement, urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid non-essential travel to regions with active mpox transmission. The health ministry has ramped up preventive measures, with the latest cases now under medical care, 13 recoveries, and one fatality recorded to date.
Authorities have identified 83 close contacts, of whom 78 have completed the required 21-day monitoring. Three of these contacts tested positive, while two remain under observation, Barasa reported.
The public is advised to follow mpox precautions, including avoiding close contact with infected persons or their belongings, limiting sexual partners, and practicing good hygiene with regular handwashing or sanitizer use. Kenya has screened over 1.7 million travelers at 26 border points to mitigate the spread.
Vaccines are anticipated in December under a World Health Organization initiative, making Kenya one of five African countries set to receive 50,000 doses to combat the disease.
While mpox cases have stabilized in African countries like Burundi, Liberia, Uganda, and South Africa, the continent remains in the active phase of the outbreak, with over 50,000 cases recorded this year, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mpox, originally identified in monkeys in 1958, is a rare viral infection spread through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated surfaces, causing symptoms like fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
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