https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240720/huge-rise-in-monkeypox-cases-in-dr-congo-government-says-1067575242.html
Huge Rise in Monkeypox Cases in DR Congo, Government Says
Huge Rise in Monkeypox Cases in DR Congo, Government Says
Sputnik Africa
The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Saturday that the country is experiencing an "exponential rise" in the number of... 20.07.2024, Sputnik Africa
2024-07-20T18:26+0200
2024-07-20T18:26+0200
2024-07-22T16:09+0200
sub-saharan africa
tedros adhanom ghebreyesus
democratic republic of the congo (drc)
world health organization (who)
mpox (monkeypox)
south africa
central africa
southern africa
disease
death toll
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Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said the cumulative number of suspected cases had hit 11,166, including 450 deaths, for a fatality rate of 4%, adding that a report by the country's health ministry revealed "an exponential increase in the number of cases."The western province of Equateur was worst affected, according to Muyaya. The report said the government was taking a series of measures to combat the disease, notably "medical care, monitoring of contacts with the respective health zones, (and) promotion of community-based surveillance." The report came just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the threat to global health posed by mpox amid concern of a potential epidemic outbreak of a new, more deadly strain of the virus in the DRC. The latest outbreak shows "no sign of slowing down," said WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He cited 11,000 reported cases and 445 deaths, with children being the worst affected. Rosamund Lewis, a specialist in monkeypox at the WHO, also warned of the risk of the virus crossing borders.South Africa recently reported 20 cases, including three deaths. Mpox was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what was then Zaire, now the DRC. Since then, it has been mainly limited to countries in the west and center of the continent. Historically, most sufferers were contaminated by infected animals. But since May 2022, health officials have reported Mpox virus infections worldwide, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men. Since last September, a new, even more deadly strain has been spreading in the DRC, also being transmitted through sexual contact between men. The new strain has so far been transmitted exclusively from person to person, Lewis said.
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240711/dr-congo-battles-mpox-outbreak-in-eastern-regions-displacement-camps-1067454930.html
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tedros adhanom ghebreyesus, democratic republic of the congo (drc), world health organization (who), mpox (monkeypox), south africa, central africa, southern africa, disease, death toll, healthcare
tedros adhanom ghebreyesus, democratic republic of the congo (drc), world health organization (who), mpox (monkeypox), south africa, central africa, southern africa, disease, death toll, healthcare
Huge Rise in Monkeypox Cases in DR Congo, Government Says
18:26 20.07.2024 (Updated: 16:09 22.07.2024) Agence France Presse (AFP)
The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Saturday that the country is experiencing an "exponential rise" in the number of cases of mpox (also known as monkeypox).
Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said the cumulative number of suspected cases had hit 11,166, including 450 deaths, for a fatality rate of 4%, adding that a report by the country's health ministry revealed "an exponential increase in the number of cases."
The western province of Equateur was worst affected, according to Muyaya.
The report said the government was taking a series of measures to combat the disease, notably "medical care, monitoring of contacts with the respective health zones, (and) promotion of community-based surveillance."
The report came just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the threat to global health posed by mpox amid concern of a potential
epidemic outbreak of a new, more deadly strain of the virus in the DRC.
The latest outbreak shows "no sign of slowing down," said WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He cited 11,000 reported cases and 445 deaths, with children being the worst affected.
Rosamund Lewis, a specialist in monkeypox at the
WHO, also warned of the risk of the virus crossing borders.
South Africa recently reported 20 cases, including three deaths.
Mpox was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what was then Zaire, now the DRC. Since then, it has been mainly limited to countries in the west and center of the continent. Historically, most sufferers were contaminated by infected animals.
But since May 2022, health officials have reported Mpox virus infections worldwide, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men.
Since last September, a new, even more deadly strain has been spreading in the DRC, also being transmitted through
sexual contact between men. The new strain has so far been transmitted exclusively from person to person, Lewis said.
