The Republic of the Congo has declared an epidemic of Mpox after confirming 19 cases across five departments, including the capital Brazzaville. Health Minister Gilbert Mokoki announced on Tuesday that no deaths have been reported thus far.
In a statement, Mokoki urged the public to take precautions, such as avoiding close contact with suspected cases, refraining from contact with animals, and abstaining from handling game meat with bare hands.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has opted to use the term “Mpox” instead of “monkeypox”, citing concerns about stigma and racism linked to the latter term.
Mpox, first identified in humans in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, is characterised by symptoms such as fever, body aches, and skin lesions.
In 2022, the WHO declared a global health emergency due to an outbreak of mpox that spread to Europe and North America.
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