The virulent mpox strain spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo is responsible for 10 infections in neighbouring Ugandaweeks after the disease was first detected in the East African country.
Uganda has increased its efforts to curb the spread, including more public messaging, early detection and treatment, and isolation of patients.said Henry Kyobe, head of Uganda’s mpox outbreak unit, by telephone from the capital, Kampala.
The figure is likely an underestimate as testing across the region remains scarce. Medical staff reported that dozens of people in eight villages in Busia district were showing symptoms of chickenpox last month, according to the Monitor newspaper.. Many of them were initially suspected of having chickenpox because they were mostly children, she said. Since the outbreak began, about 200 cases have been tested in Uganda, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Uganda confirmed its first two cases at Bwera Hospital near the Congolese border, the ministry said. The emergency response mechanism and incident management system used to control COVID-19 and the Ebola pandemic in 2022 have been activatedHealth Minister Jane Ruth Aceng told lawmakers in August.
The World Health Organization has blamed the clade Ib subvariant for an increase in cases of the disease, which causes lesions that can lead to blindness, disfigurement and death. Unlike previous versions, This type appears to spread more easily through close contact, including sexual contact, and is affecting children with weak immunity..
Last week Burundi also launched a national campaign to stop the spread after the virus spread across its porous border with Congo.where hundreds of people, including children, have died.
