NAIROBI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health said on Friday that 314 cases of mpox and five deaths have been recorded across the country since the outbreak began in July 2024.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said in a statement issued in the national capital of Nairobi that a total of 33 cases are currently admitted to various health facilities, while 54 cases are under home-based isolation and care.
Duale said the cases were reported across 22 out of 47 counties, with the coastal city of Mombasa having the highest number of affected persons, totaling 146, followed by Busia County in western Kenya, which borders Uganda, with 63 cases.
"In the last 24 hours, four additional mpox cases have been confirmed in Mombasa County (3 cases) and Nairobi County, which has one case," Duale said.
The Kenyan official said a total of 222 cases have fully recovered, with five cases unfortunately succumbing to the disease, with the case fatality rate currently standing at 1.6 percent.
He noted that as part of efforts to contain the outbreak, the ministry, in collaboration with county governments and partners, has intensified surveillance efforts.
Duale said multidisciplinary rapid response teams have been deployed nationwide to strengthen healthcare capacity, conduct active case searches, trace and monitor contacts, and manage confirmed cases.
"Over 4.7 million travellers have been screened at our airports and other points of entry, and suspected cases identified for further investigation," Duale said.
The ministry has called on the public to take several precautionary measures to prevent the spread of mpox. These include avoiding contact with infected persons, using personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks when caring for the sick, and refraining from sharing bedding and clothing with those who are infected.
"The public is further advised to disregard any misleading or false information that may hinder public health efforts or cause unnecessary fear and confusion," Duale said.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a rare viral disease transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. Symptoms typically include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. ■
