Concerns about the outbreak in Congo have been sparked by the apparent ease of transmission between people. Image: Bloomberg
Burundi has reported 100 cases of mpox caused by a fast-spreading subvariant that triggered an outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization said.
The cases, 28 percent of which were in children under five, have been reported since July in several districts, the WHO said in a statement after the first meeting of a committee to assess the outbreak of the virus in Africa.
Mpox in Burundi will raise concerns about the possibility of the subvariant, clade Ib, spreading from eastern Congo, where it has infected children and sex workers around the active gold mining centre of Kamituga, near the border with Burundi.
Cases have also been reported in neighbouring Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, but no outbreak on the scale of Burundi has been detected outside Congo.
Concern about the outbreak in Congo has arisen because of the apparent ease of transmission between humans through sexual contact and other close contacts. While the mpox virus has been around for decades, the region’s endemic variant had already jumped from animals to humans before quickly disappearing.
The disease, which the Congolese government says kills 3.5 percent of those affected, causes lesions that can also lead to blindness and disfigurement.
First published: August 20, 2024 | 7:59 a.m. IS
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.