A laboratory-confirmed case of mpox has been identified in Bunia, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising concerns over a resurgence of the disease as the country battles a major Ebola outbreak.
The confirmed case involves a 21-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital on Thursday with skin lesions across her body consistent with mpox, hospital director Davin Ambitapio Musungufu said.
Musungufu and two health officials said the woman tested positive for mpox on Friday.
A second woman, aged 32, has also been identified as a suspected case and is awaiting laboratory results.
Both women have been isolated and are receiving care from a dedicated medical team, Musungufu said.
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Health authorities are investigating the cases, including tracing contacts and determining the possible source of infection.
Dr Adelard Lofungola, a health official who served as deputy incident manager for Congo’s mpox response, said five suspected mpox cases were currently under investigation in Bunia.
He said health officials had also recorded an increase in mpox cases in several parts of the country over the past month.
Mpox is a viral disease that can cause fever and skin lesions and spreads mainly through close physical contact.
Congo declared an end to mpox as a national public health emergency in April, following a three-year outbreak that recorded more than 34,000 confirmed cases nationwide.
Authorities, however, warned at the time that the virus had not been eradicated and could resurge.
The latest mpox cases come as Ituri Province, where Bunia is located, battles an Ebola outbreak declared on May 15.
Government data published on Thursday showed that the Ebola outbreak had recorded 7,890 cases and 3,799 deaths.
Lofungola said the Ebola outbreak was putting additional pressure on Congo’s health system and complicating efforts to monitor other infectious diseases.
Reuters
