Mpox cases rising sharply in South Kivu, DRC

In a follow-up on the mpox, or monkeypox cases reported in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the provincial health division reports Friday that the current tally stands at 4,173 cases since the beginning of the year, an increase of nearly 1,200 cases in the past two weeks.

25 deaths have been reported to date.

Doctor Justin Bengehya, chief of epidemiological surveillance and health information with the health division said 29 out of 34 health zones in the province have been affected.

Nationally, Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare, Dr. Samuel Roger Kamba, has stated that all provinces of the DRC are currently affected by Mpox.

Since the beginning of 2024, 15,665 suspected cases and 558 deaths have been reported in the DRC, he stated.

He adds: “The most affected provinces include South Kivu, North Kivu, Equateur, North Ubangi, Tshuapa, Sankuru, Mongala and Tshopo."

To respond to this health crisis, Dr. Kamba announced the measures deployed by the government in the various provinces with regard to the strengthening of epidemiological surveillance systems, risk communication and community mobilization to prevent contamination and limit the spread of the virus.

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Last week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) officially declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).

This was followed the next day by the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring mpox as public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR).