Mpox disease has been reported in Malaba Kenya, with a long-distance truck driver testing positive for the viral disease. This was revealed on Saturday by Teso North Sub County diseases coordinator Kelvin Tangara who also issued an alert of possible outbreak of Marburg virus disease, which has broken out in neighbouring Tanzania. Addressing mourners during the burial of Mercy Kezia Barasa in Malaba, Mr Tangara said the truck driver was admitted at Kocholia Sub County Hospital, where he was treated and discharged. "We need to work out measures to curb further outbreak of the disease in the porous border town.
It entails keeping social distance.
Unfortunately, it was not enforced here today," Tangara stated. According to UNICEF Kenya Humanitarian Situation Report, as of October 31, 2024, 11 out of 47 counties in Kenya had reported at least one confirmed case each of Mpox, with 14 cases having been confirmed in Nakuru, Taita Taveta, Busia, Nairobi, Mombasa, Makueni, Kajiado, Bungoma, Kilifi, Uasin Gishu, and Kericho counties with one death registered. Mpox is a viral disease that causes a fever and skin lesions.
It's spread through close physical contact, including sexual contact, or by touching contaminated objects. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a global health emergency in August 2024.
