Nairobi, October 3 (IANS). MPox cases are gradually increasing in Kenya. Kenya’s Health Ministry has confirmed one more new MPox case in the country, taking the total number of cases in the country to nine. However, the government has strengthened the public health response to the disease.
Deborah Barasa, cabinet secretary in the health ministry, said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Wednesday that the case of mpox was confirmed in Nakuru, about 160 kilometers north-west of the capital.
“The 37-year-old man who tested positive for mpox had traveled to Rwanda and Uganda. No deaths have been reported among the confirmed cases,” he said.
He said the ministry’s monitoring efforts are strong, Xinhua news agency reported. We have identified 68 people who came in contact with the person infected with mpox. Of these, 61 people have been monitored for 21 days.
Barasa said the ministry has screened about 1.13 million passengers at 26 entry points into the country. He called for vigilance, saying it is important to protect communities from the spread of the disease.
According to Barasa, the Health Ministry has increased surveillance, risk communication and community engagement to tackle stigma and prevent infections.
Apart from Kenya, other African countries with MPOX cases include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Cameroon, Liberia, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Guinea, Gabon and Rwanda.
–IANS
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