Government receives a consignment of Mpox vaccines

Government officials receive a consignment during the arrival of single dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on October 06,2021. Kenya procured 252,000 doses of the vaccine. [File, Standard]

The Ministry of Health has received a consignment of 10,700 doses of the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) Mpox vaccine.

This will bolster Kenya's response to curb the ongoing Mpox outbreak.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a statement on Thursday, April 10, confirmed the arrival of the vaccines.

He credited the achievement to collaborative efforts involving the Kenyan government, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.

"Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives annually, and is used globally to promote public health, prevent and control outbreaks, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases," said Duale.

The vaccines are expected to significantly bolster containment efforts, especially in counties that have reported active Mpox infections.

"They will be used as an additional public health measure to control the outbreak of Mpox in the country," Duale said.

The vaccine will be administered on a priority basis to high-risk groups rather than the general public, is being introduced as part of a broader, multi-pronged public health strategy.

Other ongoing interventions include intensified surveillance, especially at the country's 26 points of entry, contact tracing, testing of suspected cases, and community engagement to raise awareness and reduce transmission.

Since the first confirmed Mpox case was reported on July 31, 2024, the country has documented a total of 67 confirmed cases spanning 13 counties.

The most affected counties include Busia (22), Mombasa (12), and Nakuru (10). Other counties with confirmed cases are Makueni (6), Bungoma (3), Nairobi (3), Kajiado (2), Taita Taveta (2), Kericho (2), Kilifi (2), Kiambu (1), Uasin Gishu (1), and Migori (1).

Providing a breakdown of the current situation, Duale noted, "Of the reported cases, forty-nine (49) patients have recovered, ten (10) are currently admitted, and seven (7) are under home-based care. One (1) death has been reported, bringing the case fatality rate to 1.5 percent."

Contact tracing efforts have also intensified.

So far, 327 contacts have been identified, of which 274 have completed the 21-day follow-up period.

Thirteen of these contacts developed symptoms and tested positive for Mpox, while 40 individuals are still under observation.

The government is urging the public to remain vigilant and adhere to public health guidelines as targeted vaccination efforts begin.