- Patient is a male truck driver from the Democratic Republic of Congo
- The clade I variant of Mpox behind the outbreak has death rate of 1-11%
- Africa CDC has since declared Mpox outbreak a continental health emergency
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has (Friday 24th August) confirmed a second case of Mpox in the country, sparking renewed concerns about the spread of the disease across borders.
Formerly known as monkeypox, the viral disease: Mpox, is behind the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries.
The virus is has been found to be clade I variant of mpox which can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infectious person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.
Studies show that the death rate from this variant which is causing the current outbreak, is between 1 and 11%.
Details show the second patient in Kenya is also a male truck driver. He was screened at the Malaba One Stop Border Post in Busia County, Health CS Deborah Mulongo said in a statement.
The patient, who has a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, an area currently battling a significant Mpox outbreak, is now in isolation and receiving treatment at a health facility in Busia.
Kenya reported its first case of Mpox a month ago, on July 31, 2024.
Over a week ago the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017.
Following the latest case in Kenya, 42 samples have been submitted for Mpox testing, with 40 samples returning negative results. Over 426,438 travellers have been screened at various ports of entry across the country since the onset of the outbreak.
“Active surveillance for suspected cases has been enhanced in the region and across all counties to ensure disease spread is controlled,” Dr Mulongo said.
“Since the declaration of the first case of Mpox, 28 contacts of the said case have completed a 21-day follow-up period without developing symptoms. They have been discharged from active follow-up Kenya’s CS said.
The announcement comes as Kenya prepares for Mpox vaccinations at the end of the year.
At least 12 African countries, including previously unaffected nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, have reported Mpox outbreaks. So far in 2024, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
