11 Dec 2024 | 09:39 AM UTC
Kenya: Elevated monkeypox (mpox) activity reported in multiple areas in December /update 1
Elevated monkeypox (mpox) activity reported in multiple areas in Kenya in December. Maintain basic health precautions.
Kenyan health officials have reported elevated monkeypox (mpox) activity, with an additional 16 cases reported Oct. 4-Dec. 10, bringing the total case count to 28 since July 31. This is compared to no confirmed cases for 2023. Nakuru County (9) reported the highest number of cases, followed by Mombasa (6), Kajiado (2), Bungoma (2), Nairobi (2), Taita Taveta (1), Busia (1), Kiambu (1), Makueni (1), Kericho (1), Uasin Gishu (1), and Kilifi (1). In response to the outbreak, authorities have developed a national mpox preparedness and response plan, identifying 14 high-risk counties along the Northern Corridor, a key transport route from the Kenya-Uganda border to Mombasa. Local health officials are screening travelers at points of entry, testing suspected cases, and tracing contacts of confirmed cases. Health authorities urge the public to stay vigilant for symptoms and follow mpox preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding close contact with individuals displaying symptoms of mpox. This report represents the most up-to-date information as of Dec. 11.
Practice basic health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, and avoiding obviously ill individuals. Avoid overcrowded areas such as nightclubs and consider using safe sexual practices such as physical barriers (condoms) in countries reporting monkeypox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas, especially if you have had one or more new sexual partners. Vaccines are available and recommended for at risk individuals.
On Aug. 14, the WHO declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The African region has seen an unprecedented increase in mpox cases since early 2024, with previously unaffected countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda reporting cases. The WHO's declaration aims to prompt a coordinated international response, improve surveillance, accelerate vaccine distribution, enhance public health measures, and mobilize resources to control the outbreak.
Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Mpox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected individuals (including intimate or sexual contact), infected animals, or through contact with contaminated materials. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material - e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding. Symptoms typically appear 3-17 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle and back aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.
