Homa Bay County confirms second Mpox case

Homa Bay County has reported its second Mpox case after a 44-year-old man from Koduogo, Ndhiwa sub-county, developed symptoms while invigilating KCSE examinations at Okok Secondary School.

According to County Government Spokesperson Atieno Otieno, the patient is under an isolation ward at the Homa Bay Teaching and Referral Hospital for medical review. 

The first case reported was from a 41-year-old man who travelled from Kisii to Homa Bay and developed symptoms while visiting a relative in Shauri Yako. He was also admitted to the same facility.

Ms. Otieno stated that a multi-sectoral coordination team is overseeing the condition of both patients to contain the spread of the virus. 

The county government appealed to residents to avoid close contact with anyone who exhibits symptoms related to Mpox such as rash, fever or swollen lymph nodes. 

The development comes as Kisumu County confirmed its first Mpox case in a 42-year-old man who had travelled from South Sudan and began experiencing symptoms while still in Juba.

According to County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, Dr. Gregory Ganda, the patient was admitted to Kisumu County Referral Hospital after boarding a Simba Coach bus on Tuesday, November 19. 

The CECM appealed to anyone aboard the bus to seek medical evaluation as he promised more surveillance efforts across all health facilities to support early detection of the virus.