A new, more transmissible and deadlier strain of mpox has emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is now spreading to neighboring countries.
Identified as the Clade Ib subclade, this strain has been affecting the DRC since September 2023, causing widespread skin rashes unlike previous strains where lesions were localized.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is contemplating declaring an international emergency in response to this resurgence.
According to the African Union’s health agency, Africa CDC, there have been 14,479 cases and 455 deaths in the DRC as of early August, with a mortality rate of about three percent, though it can reach ten percent among children.
The situation is particularly dire in North Kivu’s displacement camps due to high population density.
The Clade Ib strain has also been reported in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya.
Authorities in these countries, especially Burundi with 127 cases, have confirmed mpox presence but did not specify the strain.
In response, the East African Community has urged member states to educate their citizens on preventive measures. Mpox, initially discovered in humans in the DRC in 1970, primarily spreads from infected animals to humans.
The 2022 outbreak, driven by Clade II, resulted in 140 deaths out of about 90,000 cases globally.
While this outbreak remains a significant health threat, WHO and affected countries are in discussions to authorize the use of existing vaccines to control the disease’s spread.
