Mpox: What is it and how is it transmitted?
FILE—This 1997 image provided by the CDC during an investigation into an outbreak of monkeypox in DRC depicts the hands of a monkeypox case patient, who was displaying the characteristic rash during its recuperative stage.
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Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni, in a statement to newsrooms on Wednesday, noted that while only a single case of the disease was recorded, that alone is enough to declare an outbreak.
She highlighted that the infected individual was en route from Uganda to Rwanda, via Kenya, when he was flagged at the border point.
What is Mpox?
Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can be transmitted from animals to humans and through human-to-human contact.
The virus was originally transmitted from animals to humans and is more common in countries close to tropical rainforests.
Although Mpox outbreaks are commonly reported in DRC, Kenya has confirmed an outbreak of Mpox, this was first documented in a truck driver who travelled from Kampala in Uganda to Mombasa, then to Rwanda through Taita Taveta and Tanzania.
A statement from the Ministry of Health said "Mpox is endemic in the forested areas of East, Central and West Africa. Since May 2022, a multi-country outbreak has been ongoing globally with peak cases in August 2022 and June-November 2023. A single case of Mpox is considered an outbreak."
How is Mpox spread?
Mpox spreads from person to person through close contact with someone who is infected - including through sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.
The virus can enter the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, eyes, nose, or mouth. It can also be spread by touching objects contaminated by the virus, such as bedding, clothing and towels. Close contact with infected animals, such as monkeys, rats and squirrels, is another route.
The symptoms include high fever, skin rash, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches. Next comes a widespread rash on the face and body, including inside the mouth and on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
According to the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention data, more than 8,479 cases and 401 deaths from Mpox have been recorded since January 2024. Out of these, 97 per cent of the cases were reported in DRC, now considered a hotspot.
To prevent the risk of infection, Kenyans have been urged to follow public health guidelines, such as regularly washing their hands and avoiding close contact with infected persons.
"Wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer; If you have symptoms, seek health advice and avoid close contact with other persons and visit the nearest health facility for management," said Health PS Muthoni.
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