By Kenya News Agency
Residents of Malaba have expressed fear after a second MPox case was reported at the Malaba border point.
The 40-year-old truck driver, who was travelling from Mombasa to the DRC, tested positive and was evacuated to Alupe Sub-county Referral Hospital in isolation for specialised treatment.
This marks the second MPox case in the country as Africa and the world grapple with the outbreak of the highly contagious disease.
The first case was reported on the Kenya-Tanzania border, with the Kenyan government confirming that it had managed the situation after the victim recovered from the pandemic.
Dr. Evans Sumbeiyo, Medical Officer in charge of the facility, confirmed the incident on Friday.
The Health Principal Secretary in the Ministry, Mary Muthoni, confirmed the rare Mpox case, which might change the country’s trajectory in terms of bringing the disease under control.
The driver had arrived in DR Congo, Bunya district between August 1st and 3rd, 2024, and left for Uganda, where he stayed for three days loading cargo.
He left for Kenya from Uganda on August 6, 2024, through Malaba OSBP but did not pass through the Port Health screening desk or Immigration Department.
Mpox symptoms include fever, severe headaches, muscle aches, swelling in the lymph nodes, back pain, and severe-level asthenia that leads to lack of energy.
The Malaba business community is calling on residents to embrace prevention measures and urge both the national and county governments to sensitise residents at the border to mitigate the spread of the disease to other areas.