Kenya's mpox cases rise to seven

Nairobi: Kenya's Ministry of Health confirmed two more mpox cases, raising the total tally to seven, as the country intensifies surveillance to avert mass transmission of the virus.

Deborah Barasa, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, said the two new cases were detected in Makueni county in Kenya and Kajiado county bordering Tanzania.

"No deaths have been reported among the confirmed cases. 61 contacts from the first five cases were traced, listed and monitored. Only one of the contacts tested positive for mpox," Barasa said.

She added that the ministry had screened over a million travellers across 25 entry points since the outbreak began, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kenya has tested 190 samples for mpox from 28 counties, including the seven testing positive, according to Barasa.

She said the Ministry of Health is collaborating with local governments and other countries to contain mpox transmission.

The World Health Organization on August 14 declared mpox a public health emergency and called for a coordinated global response.

The declaration came after the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the mpox outbreak in the continent had posed a serious public health crisis.