03:22Kenya has ramped up health and surveillance measures at its borders at the Malaba checkpoint along the Kenya-Uganda border, in response to the growing monkey pox threat across Africa, following the World Health Organisation's (WHO) declaration of global health emergency.
Footage captured health workers enforcing rigorous new protocols, such as mandatory hand washing and temperature checks for all travellers, as travellers could be seen queuing at the border control.
"We must be worried every time there is a public health emergency as travellers because we sleep in lodges and eat at hotels, not knowing the health concerns of the food, but we just encourage ourselves," said Alex Nyongesa, a long-distance truck driver.
He added: "Only God can protect us, but we are asking the government to take this matter with a lot of seriousness."
Port Health officer Paul Kibi stated that they heightened alertness levels to be able to find and isolate travellers with high temperatures "coming from our neighbouring countries up to even those who are coming from the DRC, which is exactly a place where this disease has really affected many people."
"In case again we find that someone has signs and symptoms that we have been given, then we are able to call a clinician from our health facility, which is Kocholia Hospital, to come and do further examination," he elaborated.
The mpox outbreak has significantly impacted the DRC, with over 16,000 reported cases and more than 500 deaths linked to Clade I of the virus.
The less dangerous Clade II, which caused the global outbreak in 2022, has a fatality rate of less than one percent but can still cause serious public health concerns.
According to the WHO, mpox spreads through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles.
The virus causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions and can be transmitted both among humans and from animals to humans. While vaccines do exist, they are typically only available to those at risk or in close contact with confirmed cases.
Mpox border checks - Heightened health testing between Kenya-Uganda as disease surges
Kenya has ramped up health and surveillance measures at its borders at the Malaba checkpoint along the Kenya-Uganda border, in response to the growing monkey pox threat across Africa, following the World Health Organisation's (WHO) declaration of global health emergency.
Footage captured health workers enforcing rigorous new protocols, such as mandatory hand washing and temperature checks for all travellers, as travellers could be seen queuing at the border control.
"We must be worried every time there is a public health emergency as travellers because we sleep in lodges and eat at hotels, not knowing the health concerns of the food, but we just encourage ourselves," said Alex Nyongesa, a long-distance truck driver.
He added: "Only God can protect us, but we are asking the government to take this matter with a lot of seriousness."
Port Health officer Paul Kibi stated that they heightened alertness levels to be able to find and isolate travellers with high temperatures "coming from our neighbouring countries up to even those who are coming from the DRC, which is exactly a place where this disease has really affected many people."
"In case again we find that someone has signs and symptoms that we have been given, then we are able to call a clinician from our health facility, which is Kocholia Hospital, to come and do further examination," he elaborated.
The mpox outbreak has significantly impacted the DRC, with over 16,000 reported cases and more than 500 deaths linked to Clade I of the virus.
The less dangerous Clade II, which caused the global outbreak in 2022, has a fatality rate of less than one percent but can still cause serious public health concerns.
According to the WHO, mpox spreads through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles.
The virus causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions and can be transmitted both among humans and from animals to humans. While vaccines do exist, they are typically only available to those at risk or in close contact with confirmed cases.
Kenya has ramped up health and surveillance measures at its borders at the Malaba checkpoint along the Kenya-Uganda border, in response to the growing monkey pox threat across Africa, following the World Health Organisation's (WHO) declaration of global health emergency.
Footage captured health workers enforcing rigorous new protocols, such as mandatory hand washing and temperature checks for all travellers, as travellers could be seen queuing at the border control.
"We must be worried every time there is a public health emergency as travellers because we sleep in lodges and eat at hotels, not knowing the health concerns of the food, but we just encourage ourselves," said Alex Nyongesa, a long-distance truck driver.
He added: "Only God can protect us, but we are asking the government to take this matter with a lot of seriousness."
Port Health officer Paul Kibi stated that they heightened alertness levels to be able to find and isolate travellers with high temperatures "coming from our neighbouring countries up to even those who are coming from the DRC, which is exactly a place where this disease has really affected many people."
"In case again we find that someone has signs and symptoms that we have been given, then we are able to call a clinician from our health facility, which is Kocholia Hospital, to come and do further examination," he elaborated.
The mpox outbreak has significantly impacted the DRC, with over 16,000 reported cases and more than 500 deaths linked to Clade I of the virus.
The less dangerous Clade II, which caused the global outbreak in 2022, has a fatality rate of less than one percent but can still cause serious public health concerns.
According to the WHO, mpox spreads through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles.
The virus causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions and can be transmitted both among humans and from animals to humans. While vaccines do exist, they are typically only available to those at risk or in close contact with confirmed cases.