The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided an update on the Mpox outbreak in Africa, particularly in the region of Congo where a new and more infectious variant was first detected. According to WHO, the number of Mpox cases in South Kivu, where the new variant was identified earlier this year, appears to be plateauing. However, the virus continues to increase in other regions of Congo, as well as in Burundi and Uganda.
While the overall trend of Mpox infections is on the rise, recent data from Congo shows a decrease in laboratory-confirmed cases, offering a glimmer of hope for health authorities to control the outbreak. So far, approximately 50,000 people in Congo have been immunized against Mpox, but an estimated 3 million vaccines are needed to halt the spread.
