Kenya has reported a total of 36 cases of mpox (monkeypox), reflecting an increase of five cases since the previous week, as announced by Deputy Health Minister Mary Muriuki on Thursday.
The recent cases have been identified in Kericho, Taita Taveta, Busia, and Kilifi counties, located in western and eastern regions of the country. The 36 cases are spread across 12 counties, with Nakuru reporting 10 cases, Mombasa 8 cases, and Busia 3 cases. Patients have also been identified in the capital city, Nairobi.
In response to this situation, Mary Muriuki emphasized that the Ministry of Health has implemented a robust surveillance system designed to rapidly identify any potential cases of the disease.
From January 1, 2022, to November 30, 2024, there were 117,663 confirmed cases of mpox reported globally, leading to 263 deaths across 127 countries.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mpox is believed to originate from Central and West Africa. The first documented instance of animal-to-human transmission occurred in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Typically, the virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals and initially presents with symptoms such as fever, headaches, and body aches, before progressing to a rash phase. The mortality rate ranges from 1% to 10%, with “most deaths occurring among younger individuals,” as noted by the WHO.
