Meru County has confirmed its first Mpox case in a patient who had recently travelled to Nairobi and Nanyuki, marking the county’s entry into the growing list of regions responding to the viral outbreak. County health authorities revealed that the patient, who presented at a local facility with symptoms consistent with Mpox, has since been isolated as contact-tracing efforts intensify. The Ministry of Health has been notified, with officials assuring residents that the situation is under control and that further tests are ongoing to rule out additional exposures.
According to preliminary investigations, the infected individual had travelled outside Meru in the days before falling ill, raising concerns about potential exposure routes and cross-county transmission. Health officials say Meru has been on high alert following increased Mpox activity reported in various parts of the country this year. The county has now moved to activate its rapid response mechanisms, including public awareness campaigns, strengthening infection-prevention measures in health facilities, and training frontline workers on detection and management of the virus. The Ministry of Health has also been monitoring national trends amid travel-related cases emerging in urban centres such as Nairobi.
News of the confirmed case sparked a wave of mixed reactions online, as Kenyans questioned the source of the infection and shared humour typical of social media commentary. Some doubted the authenticity of the reported case, while others linked the announcement to politics or joked about Meru’s famous miraa culture. Despite the light-hearted reactions, public health experts urged residents to take the situation seriously, cautioning that misinformation could hinder containment efforts. Meru’s Department of Health has appealed for calm, emphasizing that Mpox is manageable with timely detection and proper care. Officials have also encouraged residents to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever, rashes, or swollen lymph nodes. More updates are expected as the county continues investigations and awaits additional test results.