Two dead as Mpox hits Nyali and Changamwe, Mombasa on high alert
The surge in infections in Nyali and Changamwe, where a 12-year-old is among those infected, has alarmed officials, who are now activating emergency response systems.
The coastal city of Mombasa has recorded two deaths amid a rising Mpox outbreak, with 98 confirmed cases pushing the county to intensify health measures.
The surge in infections in Nyali and Changamwe, where a 12-year-old is among those infected, has alarmed officials, who are now activating emergency response systems.
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The county’s Utange facility, affiliated with Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, has been designated an Mpox isolation centre.
“What is happening is that there is a lot of active community transmission, kuambukizana within the community. It's because the community has not accepted that it's within the community,” said Public Health Official, Mohammed Anit, on Friday.
24 patients are currently admitted. Of 159 samples tested, 98 turned positive. The county has, consequently, deployed outbreak-trained staff throughout Mombasa.
County Health Emergency Response Officer, Fatma Ali, urged the public to seek medical help immediately if they notice rashes or unexplained skin lesions.
“If you develop rashes or lesions that you do not understand, please visit the nearest hospital and make sure you are attended to by a doctor,” she urged.
Vincent Omoth from USAID’s Stawisha Program stressed the need for public awareness. “I would like to see the public taking precautions and also talking about Mpox enough, because people feel Mpox is not very risky."
Mpox, previously monkeypox, is a contagious viral disease causing flu-like symptoms and pus-filled sores. It spreads mainly through close contact and was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Other affected countries include Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, as well as India, Germany, Sweden, the US, and the UK.
The virus has mutated over time, with Clade I Mpox associated with animal transmission in the DRC. It spreads by infecting cells at the entry site, then the lymph nodes, and eventually the bloodstream, reaching major organs.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), symptoms range from mild to severe, and include fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that can last several weeks. The rash often appears on the face, palms, soles, genitals, or inside the mouth.
Most recover with supportive care, but some experience serious illness or death.
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