An mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in 548 deaths since the beginning of the year, impacting all provinces, the health minister announced in a statement on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the surge of mpox cases in Africa a global public health emergency, expressing concern over the rising number of cases in the DRC and their spread to neighboring countries.
“According to the latest epidemiological report, our country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year,” Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said in a separate video message.
The DRC, which consists of 26 provinces and has a population of approximately 100 million, has seen the worst impact in the provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu, Tshopo, Equateur, North Ubangi, Tshuapa, Mongala, and Sankuru, according to the health minister, Kamba.
The WHO’s declaration followed a public health emergency announced by the African Union’s health agency, highlighting the growing concern over the outbreak.
According to the WHO, mpox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Preventative measures include avoiding contact with those infected and vaccination for those at risk.
The monkeypox virus was first identified in 1958 in monkeys used for research in Denmark, and the first human case was reported in 1970 in a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Since the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the cessation of global smallpox vaccination, mpox has steadily reemerged in central, eastern, and western Africa.
A global outbreak of mpox occurred in 2022-2023. The natural reservoir of the virus remains unknown, but small mammals like squirrels and monkeys are considered susceptible.
ALSO READ: Amid Kolkata Rape And Murder Uproar, Uttarakhand Nurse Gets Raped, Strangled And Robbed
