Two years after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), Kenya confirmed the first case.
The Ministry of Health has stated that to avoid contracting the disease, you should avoid close contact with people who have been confirmed to have Mpox or who have signs and symptoms of Mpox.
The signs and symptoms include skin rash, fever, sore throat, headache, body ache, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
The close contact one should avoid is face-to-face, skin-to-skin, mouth-to-skin and mouth-to-mouth.
You should also avoid touching or sharing personal items like bedding, eating utensils, phones or other belongings with a sick person.
MoH also advised people to avoid contact with all wild animals, dead or alive, especially those known to carry the virus.
These include rodents or monkeys, and those who appear sick or have been found dead.
"Avoid eating wild animals (squirrels, rats, mice and monkeys)," MoH said.
Mpox is spread through close contact with skin lesions and body fluids, inhaling contaminated particles or viruses, sexual intercourse and handling contaminated materials.
The disease occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa.
It is occasionally exported to other regions.
On Saturday, MoH said there are no new cases and advised all counties to sensitize the public on the outbreak, necessary preventive measures, and steps to take if they contract the disease.
This includes frequent hand washing with soap and water or hand sanitiser, seeking early treatment, and avoiding close contact with sick persons.
Emergency hotline numbers for the public to report suspected cases and seek further information on the outbreak were also provided.
"The numbers are 719, 0729471414, and 0732353535. The Ministry is working closely with county government authorities, Port Health Authorities and all relevant State Agencies and stakeholders to ensure all necessary interventions are in place to protect citizens from the outbreak," it said.
"For further information, contact the Ministry of Health Hotline 719, or 0729 47 14 14/ 0732 353535."
