The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday that several African nations are experiencing a rise in mpox cases, including the first detection of the Clade 2 variant in Ivory Coast since the outbreak began in 2022.
Uganda has confirmed two additional cases, bringing the total number of mpox infections in the country to four. The new cases involve the Clade 1b strain, which has raised global concerns due to its higher transmission rates.
The WHO has declared the outbreak a public health emergency in response to the accelerated spread of this new variant.
The initial outbreak started in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in January 2023 and has since extended to neighboring countries.
Gabon has also reported its first case of mpox, although the specific strain has not been identified.
Mpox spreads through close physical contact and typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions.
Although usually mild, the disease can be severe or fatal in some cases. The emergence of the Clade 1b variant has heightened concerns about the rapid spread of mpox across Africa and potentially to other regions.
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