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.
According to the CECM, as part of the response strategy, the County had categorized the northern transport corridor as high-risk, and operationalized public health emergency operations centres to coordinate response efforts.
She further said that eight high-risk areas along the Northern transport corridor had been mapped and targeted interventions instituted with all healthcare workers and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) having been alerted and surveillance being enhanced in all the sub-counties.
“The County is using both Indicator-Based Surveillance (IBS) and Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) to avert spread of the disease,” stated Ms Mungai.
While indicating that 1,476 health workers have been sensitized on surveillance and detection of the disease, the official disclosed that healthcare workers from Kuresoi North, Kuresoi South, and Molo sub-Counties were undergoing training to prevent and manage the spread of the Mpox virus.
The training, she said was expected to provide essential knowledge about the virus, its modes of transmission, and effective prevention and management adding that the participants were being encouraged to reflect on their current infection prevention and control practices in healthcare facilities and the community.
The declaration of Mpox as a global public health emergency is the second in two years. In July 2022, WHO announced the first, following a multi-country outbreak of Mpox, which was spreading swiftly through sexual contact, and in countries that had never recorded prior cases. In May 2023, the global health emergency was declared to be over, following a steady decline in global cases.
According to the Africa CDC, two vaccines are currently recommended for use against Mpox: JYNNEOS and ACAM2000. JYNNEOS is the preferred vaccine for the current outbreak of Mpox. It is a two-dose vaccine series, administered four weeks apart for maximum effectiveness. A vaccine recipient is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose.
“Vaccination is a known means of prevention against the disease. Africa CDC recommends post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with the approved vaccine for all close contacts of a confirmed case.
Close contacts include those living in the same household or those who had sex with the case including kissing, hugging and cuddling, sharing of utensils, towels, and bedding, or coming in contact with or touching the rashes on the body of the case,” says Africa CDC report.
It adds: “High-risk populations such as healthcare workers, immunocompromised individuals and sex workers should also be prioritized for vaccination as mass vaccination is not currently recommended for Mpox.”
By Esther Mwangi
