Woman from Gilgil tests positive for Mpox, Nakuru cases now at four

A new case of Mpox has been confirmed in Nakuru, this time in a woman from Gilgil sub-county.

This brings the total number of Mpox cases that have been confirmed in the county to four since the outbreak began in August 2024.

According to Moses Obiero, the Nakuru County Emergency Operations Centre manager, two of the patients have already been treated and discharged, while the other two are currently in isolation at hospitals in Naivasha and Gilgil.

"In terms of characterisation, all cases reported so far have been linked to truck drivers, with most cases concentrated along the northern corridor where there is significant movement of goods and people in and out of the county," says Mr Obiero.

"As part of our response, we are conducting surveillance activities, have identified hotspot areas, are actively conducting case searches, contact tracing and screening individuals for symptoms. Patients are being treated by managing their symptoms and collecting samples for testing," he says.

To mitigate the situation, the county government is training health workers to manage cases and community health volunteers (CHVs) to better identify cases and refer suspected cases for further care if necessary.

This is aimed to reduce referral cases as transferring patients poses a risk of transmission.

"The county has also focused on targeted drug distribution and identified health facilities near key hotspots to help manage the virus," says Mr Obiero.

Currently, Nakuru has not received any vaccines, but the county is among those earmarked to receive some of the 10,700 Mpox vaccines the country recently acquired.