The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday that cases of mpox, a more infectious variant first detected in Congo, may be stabilizing in the South Kivu region.
However, the virus continues to rise in other parts of Congo, as well as in Burundi and Uganda.
A recent WHO report reveals a “general rising trend” in mpox cases but notes that numbers have leveled off in South Kivu.
This region saw the new variant emerge earlier this year among sex workers and miners in Kamituga, a gold mining town.
WHO highlighted the challenge of limited testing, which restricts the understanding of the virus’s spread patterns.
Congo reported fewer than 100 confirmed cases last week, a sharp drop from nearly 400 in July. Health experts now see a potential opportunity for authorities to control the outbreak.
Approximately 50,000 people in Congo have received vaccinations for mpox, although the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) estimates 3 million doses are necessary to halt the outbreak.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC’s director, emphasized that without more resources, the virus may pose a global threat.
Burundi is also experiencing a surge in cases due to the new variant, which causes milder symptoms that might allow infected individuals to unknowingly spread the virus.
In the last two weeks, over 200 new cases have been reported weekly, primarily among children and young adults.
In Uganda, mpox is spreading mainly through sexual contact, with 100 new cases reported last week, mostly in adults.
The WHO plans to convene an expert meeting on November 22 to assess if mpox remains an international emergency.
The outbreak has prompted Britain to announce its first case of the infectious variant spreading outside Africa, linked to a traveler and their household contacts in London.
