Busia leads as Kenya confirms 137 Mpox cases in 17 counties

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a total of 137 Mpox cases across 17 counties so far, as the outbreak surges.

Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni announced on Tuesday that the cases were obtained from 597 samples tested at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and partner laboratories.

“A total of 400 contacts have been identified, 315 have been monitored for the recommended period of 21 days,” stated PS Muthoni.

“Of those, 15 contacts tested positive for Mpox. Additionally, over 4.8 million travellers have been screened at the Points of Entry, and suspected cases are identified for further investigation.”

Muthoni said the 137 cases were recorded as follows: Busia (48) and Mombasa (37), Makueni (10), Nairobi (5), Kajiado (3), Bungoma (3), Taita Taveta (2), Kericho (2), Kilifi (2), Kiambu (1), Uasin Gishu (1), Migori (1), Machakos (2), Isiolo (1), Kisii (1) and Kirinyaga (1).

She added that the ministry has heightened vigilance at the country’s borders and in key towns to curb the spread of the disease.

“To accelerate the response to the outbreak in affected counties, the Ministry, in collaboration with the County Governments and partners, has strengthened surveillance through active case search, contact listing, tracing, investigation, and symptomatic management of confirmed cases,” stated the PS.

As the ministry calls on the public to be on high alert, PS Muthoni noted that 15 million SMSs have been disseminated via Safaricom to raise community awareness on Mpox.

The ministry also says it has been planning to undertake Mpox vaccination targeting those at risk while ensuring appropriate measures are put in place to protect children in schools.

Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact and typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild, but it can be lethal.

The World Health Organisation declared a global public health emergency after an Mpox outbreak was detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August 2024, spreading to neighbouring countries.