A young family has been placed in isolation at Nyahururu County Hospital, Laikipia County, after being confirmed to be suffering from Mpox.
Kibet Kiprop and his wife Ruth Mwihaki had separately visited Baari Health Centre in Nyandarua, complaining of chills, fever and painful skin lesions and were treated and discharged.
The couple’s condition worsened while at home and they visited Nyahururu County Hospital, where tests confirmed Mpox infection.
They and their two children aged three years and three months were immediately put in isolation as they undergo treatment.
The family lives at Mairo Inya, along the Nyahururu-Nyeri highway. Kiprop is said to have travelled to Mombasa three weeks ago, where he stayed for one week before travelling back to Nyahururu.
According to Laikipia County Chief Executive (CEC) for Health Albert Taiti, who addressed the media, the couple’s two children had not shown any symptoms but they too had to be admitted because there was no one left to take care of them at home.
“We have activated isolation and containment measures and we are working closely with national health authorities to monitor the situation. Mpox is a viral infection and has no cure, but it is a manageable disease and we urge anybody with unexplained rashes, fever or body aches to seek immediate medical attention,” Dr Taiti appealed.
He also noted that the two cases did not originate from Laikipia but Nyandarua and ended up at the Nyahururu Hospital because it is the nearest hospital to where the couple lives.
The CEC further said he had alerted his counterpart in Nyandarua, Juliana Syoweu Tsinanga, who has activated the County surveillance team to look for people who may have come into contact with the couple.
“A sister of the woman and a young man in a local secondary school have been identified as persons who came into contact with the couple, but they are not showing any signs of being sick,” noted Taiti.
He added that the two have been advised to do “self-monitoring” and seek medical attention if they feel signs associated with Mpox.
The CEC however urged people to remain calm, saying Mpox cannot be transmitted through the air except through close body contact with a sick person.
He also reiterated that health workers across the County have been alerted, briefed and supplied with protective gear.
“Awareness campaigns are going to be done to educate people on symptoms, prevention and response protocols related to Mpox,” CEC Taiti announced.
This is the second Mpox case to be reported in Nyandarua County. A month ago, another victim was admitted at the Eng. Hospital in Kinangop Sub-County.
By Kimani Tirus
