Monkeypox
Two years after a global outbreak, concerns are mounting over a new strain of mpox — formerly known as monkeypox — identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and spreading to neighboring countries.
This deadlier and more transmissible strain, Clade Ib, has been spreading person-to-person since September in the DRC. The World Health Organization (WHO) is considering convening an expert committee to potentially declare an international emergency, as was done during the 2022 global mpox outbreak.
The Clade Ib strain causes extensive skin rashes and is not confined to specific areas like other strains. The Africa CDC has reported 14,479 cases and 455 deaths in the DRC, with a mortality rate around three percent, but potentially up to 10 percent among children. The disease has spread to displacement camps in North Kivu, where high population density poses a severe risk.
The strain has already reached Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya, with confirmed cases rising. The WHO and Africa CDC are urging governments to educate their citizens on prevention and protection measures.
Despite ongoing efforts, the outbreak remains “raging” in the DRC and Central Africa, posing a significant threat to public health across the region.