Health Ministry confirms five new suspected mpox cases

The Ministry of Health on Saturday announced that five new suspected mpox cases had been detected in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of suspected cases to 29.

Out of these, 23 cases have tested negative for mpox, while six are still pending confirmation from the laboratory.

"A sample from a suspected mpox case was received today from Vineyard Hospital in Kiambu County. The patient is currently under isolation and management within the county," Health PS Mary Muthoni said in a statement.

She further cautioned the public against sharing photos of suspected mpox cases on social media. "This measure is intended to prevent the spread of misinformation and to respect patient privacy."

According to the PS,  no new suspected mpox cases among citizens, including travellers, have been reported. This is as active surveillance across the country, particularly at points of entry, remains active.

Over the past 24 hours, 21,350 travellers were screened at various points of entry, with no suspected mpox cases detected. This brings the cumulative number of travellers screened to 302,436.

The Ministry has urged the public to cooperate with the ongoing public health measures, which include contact tracing, screening, and heightened surveillance, particularly at points of entry.

Kenya officially declared the Mpox outbreak on July 31, 2024, following the confirmation of the country’s first case in Taveta Sub-County, Taita Taveta County.

The patient has since been discharged from Taveta Sub-County Hospital. Additionally, 12 contacts of the confirmed case were traced and monitored for 21 days, and none have developed symptoms of Mpox.