There is a sharp increase in cases of Mpox infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the government announced on Saturday, the cabinet was informed the day before of an “exponential increase” in the number of cases. There are now more than 11,000 suspected cases of the viral disease known for years as monkeypox, and 450 people have died. This means that the death rate is four percent.
Even before the drastic increase now reported, the World Health Organization (WHO) had expressed fears that Mpox could spread beyond the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a viral disease that can be transmitted from infected animals to humans. The WHO renamed the disease, previously known as monkeypox, to Mpox in 2022 to prevent stigmatization.
Mpox viruses were originally mainly found in rodents in West and Central Africa. Transmission from person to person is also possible through close contact, for example through sex. Mpox infections are usually much milder than smallpox, which has been eradicated for around 40 years. However, severe cases and death can also occur. Typical symptoms of the disease include fever and pustules on the skin.
Spread outside Africa
In May 2022, the disease began to spread outside Africa, especially in Europe. It mainly affected men who have sex with men. As with Corona, the WHO declared a health emergency of international concern, which ended in May 2023. However, there are still cases of infection in several countries today.
