Rising Mpox Cases In African Countries Raises Health Concerns Worldwide

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently designated Mpox a public health emergency of international concern for the second time in two years due to the rapid spread of a new, highly dangerous strain of the virus across Africa.

This new strain, known as 'Clade 1b,' has led to outbreaks in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda since July.

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The virus has also reached Sweden, and over 570 people have died so far. The WHO's decision reflects the severity of the situation, particularly in regions with limited resources to combat the outbreak.

Egide Irambona, a 40-year-old man from Bujumbura, Burundi, who contracted Clade 1b, shared his painful experience with the BBC. He described severe symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes in his throat that caused intense pain and disrupted his sleep, followed by pain in his legs.

"I had a friend who had blisters. I think I got it from him. I did not know it was Mpox. Thankfully our seven children have not shown any signs of having it," Irambona said. He is currently receiving treatment at King Khaled University Hospital, where his wife, who also contracted the virus, is being cared for as well.

The hospital is facing an overwhelming number of cases, with 59 out of 61 beds occupied, a third of which are children under the age of 15. Dr. Odette Nsavyimana, a doctor at the hospital, expressed concern over the increasing number of patients, saying, "We are now setting up tents outside."

She highlighted the difficulty of managing the situation, especially with young children who cannot stay alone, forcing their mothers to remain at the facility even if they show no symptoms.

"It is tough, especially when the babies come... It is such a tough situation. I am worried about the numbers. If they keep increasing, there is no capacity for us to handle that," Dr. Nsavyimana added.

The situation is further complicated by the lack of resources, including the absence of a vaccine, insufficient testing kits, and only one laboratory in the country capable of testing blood samples for the virus.

Liliane Nkengurutse, the national director of the Centre for Public Health Emergency Operations, voiced her concerns about the challenges in detecting and diagnosing new cases due to these limitations.

"The fact that diagnosis is only done in one place delays detecting new cases... it takes time for teams from the lab to deploy to where the suspected cases are to take samples," she explained.

Adding to the challenges, many people in Bujumbura remain unaware of the seriousness of the Mpox outbreak.

Dr. Nkengurutse noted, "Many people do not understand the gravity of this issue. Even where there have been cases, people still just mingle."

Residents expressed mixed awareness of the situation, with one stating, "I have heard about this disease, but I have never seen someone who suffers from it. I have only seen it on social media."

Another added, "I know it affects babies and young people. I am scared of it, but that does not mean I will just stay at home. I have to work. My family has to eat."

The combination of rising cases, inadequate resources, and limited public awareness presents a daunting challenge for health authorities in Burundi and other affected regions.