Voi residents urged to avoid bush meat over mpox concerns

Residents living near Tsavo National Park have been cautioned against consuming bush meat due to concerns that it could contribute to the spread of mpox.

The Voi Sub-County disease surveillance team issued this warning in response to rising health concerns in the area.

Johnstone Kishagha, the Voi Sub-County Disease Surveillance Coordinator, urged the local community to abstain from eating bush meat, emphasising that doing so could facilitate the transmission of mpox.

“We have observed that many community members are not visiting hospitals when they fall ill. We strongly encourage them to seek medical attention at our public health facilities for proper diagnosis and treatment,” he stated.

Kishagha highlighted the case of a mother who had been suffering from symptoms for over a week without seeking medical help.

Despite the worries, the county government assured residents through its Health Services Department that there were no active mpox cases in the area.

A child suffering from mpox at a hospital isolation unit in South Kivu province. (UNICEF)

On Saturday morning, the Health Department was alerted by the public about the death of a child on Friday, while two other children and adults showed symptoms including headache, fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose, and rashes on the face and upper arms.

The sub-county's rapid response team visited the affected village as soon as possible.

“Upon examination, it was evident that the symptoms were consistent with measles, not mpox as initially suspected. We have collected blood samples from two children and an adult for further testing at government laboratories, including Kemri,” Kishagha explained.

A hospital in Mackinnon town diagnosed a resident with malaria after they exhibited symptoms.

He noted that the county's disease surveillance team is on alert, ready to swiftly address any emerging health threats.

Residents were encouraged to report any suspected cases to local health facilities.