The Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that the truck driver, who was the first patient to test positive for Mpox virus, has recovered.
In the statement on Tuesday August 6, Health PS Mary Muthoni confirmed that no other cases have been reported in the country so far.
Muthoni said the patient, who had a generalized rash, was reported at Taveta One Stop Border Point on July 22, 2024.
The patient was isolated at Taveta Sub-County Hospital, where clinicians initially suspected either chickenpox or Mpox.
“Skin lesion samples were taken and results from the National Public Health Laboratories detected Mpox on 29th July 2024. This was validated by other reference laboratories in the national laboratory network. The patient has recovered,” she said.
However, Muthoni stated that due to the infectiousness of Mpox and in accordance with international guidelines for Mpox response, the Ministry of Health and the County Health Department of Taita Taveta began identifying all persons who had been in close contact with the patient.
“We are tracing all his close contacts at his workplace, at the hospital where he was admitted and along his travel routes. So far, no other case has been confirmed in the country,” the PS added.
Also Read: Govt Confirms Mpox Outbreak, Issues Advisory
The patient had traveled through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
Measures Taken by Govt on Mpox
The Ministry of Health (MoH) stated that they are working with neighboring countries to identify any contacts and other potential cases.
PS Muthoni also noted that there is an active mpox outbreak in DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.
In response, the Ministry has deployed a rapid response team to support the affected counties with detailed investigations. The Ministry has also activated the Public Health Emergency Operation Centres across the country and established incident management teams to coordinate response activities.
Furthermore, the MoH is monitoring the evolution of the outbreak in neighboring countries to assess the risk of regional transmission and adjust response measures accordingly.
Also Read: Govt Issues Update on MPOX Outbreak as Uganda Reports More Cases
All counties have been advised to sensitize the public on the outbreak and the necessary preventive measures to avoid contracting the disease. These measures include frequent hand washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizer, seeking treatment early when infected, and avoiding close contact with sick persons.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has provided emergency hotline numbers for the public to report suspected cases and seek further information on the outbreak. The numbers are 719, 0729471414, and 0732353535.
“The ministry is working closely with the County Government authorities and all relevant partners to ensure all necessary interventions are put in place to protect citizens from the outbreak,” Muthoni said.
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