Ministry of Health Confirms Mpox Case as Border Surveillance Intensifies

By Nyanza Emmanuel 

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a suspected case of Mpox, reassuring the public that the patient has been treated and has now fully recovered.

On July 22, 2024, Port health officers identified a truck driver with a generalized rash at Taveta One Stop Border Point. The individual had experienced symptoms for two weeks prior to the detection.

“The patient was isolated at Taveta Sub-County Hospital, where clinicians initially suspected either chickenpox or Mpox,” stated Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Health, results from the National Public Health Laboratories confirmed Mpox on July 29, 2024, with validation from other reference laboratories in the national network. The patient has since made a full recovery.

Due to the infectious nature of Mpox and in accordance with international response guidelines, the Ministry of Health and the County Health Department of Taita Taveta have begun identifying all individuals who had close contact with the patient. 

Officials are tracing contacts at the patient’s workplace, the hospital where he was admitted, and along his travel routes. The patient had traveled through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, prompting health authorities to collaborate with neighboring countries to identify any contacts and other potential cases. Currently, there is an active Mpox outbreak in DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.

Meanwhile, health officials in Busia have intensified surveillance at the porous border following the detection of a patient with monkeypox. 

Busia Deputy Governor and County Executive for Health Arthur Odera announced that the national government has assisted in enhancing surveillance efforts along the border.

“After an alert was issued last week about the first case of monkeypox in Taita Taveta County, our health team, along with the national government, has been on high alert at the entry points,” Odera stated.

The Busia health team is well-prepared to manage the situation. “Our health officers are vigilant along the border and are well-equipped to handle any threat. We have secured the border, which is used by many East and Central African nations for trade,” added Odera.

Busia County Director of Universal Health Coverage and Acting Director of Preventive and Promotive Services Dr. David Mukabi reported that teams have been deployed at various border crossing points. 

“Our surveillance on monkeypox is thorough, and residents, especially in the lake regions of Busia County, have been sensitized,” he said.