Nakuru County Government has activated its Health Department’s Disease Surveillance and Response Unit (DSRU) to coordinate response against the Mpox virus and stop the spread of the disease in the devolved unit.
The devolved unit has announced that it has cumulatively reported 21 cases since August 31 last year, when it confirmed its first case involving a 37-year-old male truck driver who arrived from Rwanda, affirming that it is working with the Ministry of Health in undertaking various response measures, including contact tracing and enhancing surveillance.
Head of Promotive and Preventive Health Services, Mr Gerald Maina indicated that the devolved unit’s Department of Health, in collaboration with the Centre for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity (CIHEB), has further launched a training programme for health care workers on the management of the disease.
“Currently, Nakuru County ranks third nationally in Mpox cases after Mombasa and Busia, with 21 cases reported so far. Out of these, only one case remains active, while the rest have fully recovered,” stated Mr Maina.
He noted that the surge in Mpox cases in Mombasa and Busia prompted the need for a capacity-building initiative to strengthen Nakuru’s preparedness and response along this critical transport corridor.
Speaking during the official inauguration of the training programme, the Head of Promotive and Preventive Health Services explained that participants, drawn from various sub-counties along the northern transport corridor, will be equipped with skills in surveillance, including case identification, investigation, contact tracing, and laboratory testing.
He announced that the health department was collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Amref Health Africa, and USAID’s Tujenge Jamii initiative to stage sensitisation efforts in transit-heavy communities, with Community Health Promoters (CHPs) and frontline workers undergoing targeted training.
According to Mr Maina, as part of the response strategy, the devolved unit has categorised the northern transport corridor as high-risk and operationalised public health emergency operations centres to coordinate response efforts.
“We are working on targeted interventions for truck drivers, a key mobile population, rolling out structured awareness sessions along key transport corridors. This initiative is incorporating Community Health Promoters (CHPS),” the official pointed out.
He added, “Eight (8) high-risk areas along the Northern transport corridor have been mapped and targeted interventions instituted. All healthcare workers and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) have been alerted. Surveillance has been enhanced in all the sub-counties: The County is using both Indicator-Based Surveillance (IBS) and Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) to avert the spread of the disease.”
The declaration of Mpox as a global public health emergency is the second in two years. In July 2022, WHO announced the first case, 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.
Mr Maina said the County was running public awareness campaigns on ways of preventing the spread of Mpox, which requires isolation of individuals diagnosed with Mpox. The campaign requires infected individuals and those caring for them to wear appropriate personal protective equipment, including surgical masks and disposable gloves, to minimise the risk of transmission, as well as practise regular handwashing with soap and water and the proper disinfection of contaminated surfaces.
He urged residents to ensure meat is thoroughly cooked and to wash their clothes and linen regularly.
Virus symptoms include high fever, skin rash, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and general body aches. The virus can spread through contact with a sick person and respiratory droplets.
Mr Maina assured residents that the County Government has identified and prepared isolation facilities with a bed capacity of 192 to receive and manage cases at various health facilities that include 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.
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.
“The JYNNEOS vaccine does not cause Mpox, smallpox, or any significant adverse reaction. Indications for the vaccine include known and presumed contacts of a case of Mpox and queer individuals who have had multiple sexual partners in the last 14 days,” says Africa CDC.
“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 intimate contact 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.
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.”
