The County government of Nakuru has heightened surveillance to contain the spread of Mpox with ten cases having been reported so far in the area since the outbreak of the disease in the country. In a statement, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, Ms Roselyn Mungai, said the County had already activated its' Public Health Emergency Operation Centre (PHEOC) and constituted its' Incident Management System (IMS) to coordinate response against the Mpox virus to help stop the spread of the disease in the devolved unit. The CECM further said they were working with the Ministry of Health in undertaking various response measures, including contact tracing and enhancing surveillance adding that they will continue monitoring and managing the Mpox situation in the region. She said the County was running public awareness campaigns on ways of preventing the spread of Mpox which requires isolation of individuals diagnosed with Mpox from both humans and animals, with infected individuals and those caring for them wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, including surgical masks and disposable gloves, to minimize the risk of transmission, and regular handwashing with soap and water, along with the proper disinfection of contaminated surfaces. The County Government, Ms.
Mungai added had identified and prepared isolation facilities with a bed capacity of 192 to receive and manage cases including Naivasha Hospital, Gilgil Hospital, St Joseph's Hospital, St Mary's Hospital, Mother Kelvin Hospital, Mirugi Kariuki Sub-County Hospital, Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital, Bondeni Sub County Hospital, Elburgon Hospital and Sachangwan Health Center. The CEC indicated that 39 samples have so far been collected, 32 of which tested negative and six turned positive.
Sample collection kits, assured Ms Mungai had been pre-positioned strategically in the sub-counties while Sub- County hospitals' laboratory staff had been sensitized on sample management. She also disclosed that 15 guesthouses, bars and lodges have been sensitized with inspection of all guesthouses, lodgings and hotels in the devolved unit. While disclosing that the first case of Mpox to be reported in the County on August 31 2024 involved a 37-year-old male truck driver who arrived from Rwanda, Ms.
Mungai assured the residents that all the ten cases so far reported in the County had been effectively managed within local healthcare facilities. She however advised the residents to be wary of the virus symptoms including high fever, skin rash, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and general body aches and take appropriate action.
