MPOX CASES CONTINUE TO RISE IN SEVERAL AFRICAN NATIONS – WHO

GENEVA, Sept 30 (Bernama-dpa) -- The number of mpox cases continues to rise in several African countries and the viral disease, formerly known as monkeypox, is also spreading to new areas, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), reported German news agency (dpa).  

In its latest report, the WHO said the West African country of Guinea has reported a case for the first time. The Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa is the most affected. 

This year, 85 per cent of the approximately 6,600 mpox cases confirmed by lab tests have been registered there. Across Africa, 32 people with confirmed infections have died this year, 25 of them in the Congo.

Due to often lacking test and laboratory capacities, only 37 per cent of suspected cases in the country are tested, the WHO said. The suspicion has been confirmed in about 55 per cent of cases, it said.

Countries report the number of suspected cases to the WHO but these figures are only partially indicative due to insufficient testing.

It is conceivable, for example, that information campaigns are increasing concern about mpox and prompting more people with rashes to visit clinics. The number of suspected cases in 2024 rose by around seven per cent to 31,500 within one week up to Sept 22.

The neighbouring and comparatively much smaller country of Burundi is also increasingly affected. Since the outbreak began in July, 1,879 suspected cases have been reported, 80 per cent of them since Aug 12. 

Significantly more testing is done in Burundi than in the Congo with about 93 per cent of suspected cases being further investigated. The suspicion of a mpox infection was confirmed in around 40 per cent of cases. 

About a third of the affected are children under five years old.

-- BERNAMA-dpa